Sinkhole appears near Wascana Lake following abundance of rain in Regina

Downpours cause sinkhole WATCH: A sinkhole appeared in a residential backyard following several downpours in Regina.

An abundance of rain in Regina has caused a massive sinkhole to form in a backyard near the Albert Street bridge.

The sinkhole, caused by a collapsed storm water pipe, measures approximately three metres deep.

The city’s storm water pipes have a diameter of six feet and are crucial in Regina’s drainage system.

The collapsed pipe was first installed in 1948, according to the city.

“This was first identified in the storms which took place in early June,” Kurtis Doney, director of citizen services for the City of Regina, told reporters on Tuesday.

“The immediate steps we took was to ensure the health and safety of our residents. The second goal was to place sandbags which was critical to ensure that the water was still maintained in the pipe and made its way to Wascana Creek.”

According to Environment Canada, 63.2 millimetres of precipitation has fallen on Regina since June 1.

The city has set up a bypass system that will pump storm water into Wascana Lake.

Made up of nine separate pumps, the system will be activated during heavy rains for the duration of the 2023 storm season.

The cost of the work is expected to total $200,000 to $300,000, which will be taken from the city’s utility reserve fund.

“We have taken steps to reduce the risk as much as possible, but we are in an emergency situation where it is critical we get these temporary storm water pipes up and running,” he said.

“We do believe that any rain water that falls will make their way through the broken pipe and into Wascana, but we need to move quickly.”

Work on a permanent replacement is set to begin once the temporary system is in place.

Officials are asking residents to clear their storm drains following storm activity, and to be mindful of any depressions in the ground, which could hint at possible sinkhole activity.

With files from CTV News' Hallee Mandryk.