18 Sask. communities remain under states of emergency due to flooding

Flooding continues in northern Saskatchewan as rising waters persist. Eighteen communities remain under local states of emergency.

More than a dozen Saskatchewan communities remain under local states of emergency this week as flooding persists in the central and northern parts of the province.

In an update Monday, the Saskatchewan Public Safety Agency (SPSA) said 18 varying towns or villages, rural municipalities and Indigenous communities are still under states of emergency due to rising water levels.

“The SPSA is working with communities that are at risk of flooding, or are currently experiencing flooding conditions — providing resources and supports to several of the impacted communities,” said Jeff DeDekker, manager of communications, during a media briefing.

The number of emergency declarations has dropped down from Sunday’s total of 34.

Declaration are still in place for:

• Northern Hamlet of St. George’s Hill
• Resort Village of Chorney Beach
• Resort Village of Leslie Beach
• RM of Aberdeen
• RM of Barrier Valley
• RM of Big River
• RM of Buchanan
• RM of Buckland
• RM of Garden River
• RM of Invermay
• RM of Moose Range
• RM of Ponass Lake
• RM of Prairie Rose
• RM of St. Louis
• RM of Usborne
• RM of Wolverine
• Village of White Fox
• Sturgeon Lake First Nation

“The SPSA is in contact with each of these communities and is supporting multiple communities and rural areas with staff or equipment resources,” DeDekker added.

“The SPSA has supplied flooding response equipment to multiple communities across the province. We will continue to monitor all affected areas and provide updates as conditions evolve.”

The Water Security Agency (WSA) says snow pack melt remains the reason for the flood waters.

“In most essential areas, stream flows have peaked and are continuing to recede,” said Leah Clark, executive director of irrigation and economic development.

“Flows are expected to stay higher than normal over the next several days despite passing through those peaks.”

Clark added the WSA is monitoring conditions alongside Environment and Climate Change Canada (ECCC) in attempt to figure out how long flooding may last.

However, it doesn’t appear that an end is in sight.

“While some areas have begun to recede, other basins have not yet reached their peak, including the north, where flows are continuing to rise,” Clark said. “Where there’s still snowpack. The late thaw higher than average snowpack combined with late spring snowstorms, continues to create significant runoff and flooding.”

“With the temperatures and the overnight lows above zero right now, we’re seeing pretty steady, steady snowmelt. The one thing that might change that is rain. When we get rain on snow, it does it does make that snowmelt a little bit more rapid,” she added.

The Saskatchewan Highway Hotline adds flood waters continue to impact highway conditions across the province.

This includes the collapse of three bridges on provincial highways in which the ministry has already erected temporary structures.

Officials encourage motorists to check the Highway Hotline prior to travel for the latest on provincial conditions and where potential washouts are occurring.