City of Calgary officials forecast river levels to peak by Tuesday

River levels in Calgary are expected to crest sometime Tuesday as crews continue to monitor rainfall totals. However, officials aren’t expecting overland flooding.

According to the City of Calgary, between 40 and 80 mm of rain has fallen across the city as well as the Bow and Elbow River catchments since Saturday, with upwards of 70 mm of rain expected through mid-day Tuesday.

Cooler temperatures have also slowed alpine snowmelt with precipitation at higher elevations falling as snow, the city said in its update Monday, which is “reducing the sevreity of streamflow runoff.”

However, a boating advisory remains in effect in the City of Calgary and residents are being urged to stay off and away from the fast-moving rivers due to riverbank erosion, as well as swift-moving, cold river flows.

“It’s just not safe,” said Alex Kwan, public information officer with the Calgary Fire Department. “You’re not going to enjoy yourself, the water is very cold and it’s murky.”

According to Kwan, a boating advisory is issued when river flows surpass 280 m³/s, with the most recent measurements capturing flows quicker than 360 m³/s.

River flows are expected to continue to rise and peak sometime Tuesday, the city said.

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Fire crews were called to Harvie Passage along the Bow River in the city’s southeast Monday afternoon for a water rescue call.

According to officials, a group of kayakers were in the river and fortunately didn’t require a rescue.

“For most users, they will look at these conditions and it’s not really suitable to be outside and doing recreational activities on the water ways,” he said.

“If, for some reason, somebody unexpectedly ends up in the water, call 911 and our team is going to be there.”

The City of Calgary said forecasted levels for the current weather event are not expected to result in widespread flooding, with anticipated river flows at less than a quarter of the peak amounts that occurred during the 2013 floods.

The lower rates are due in part to the Glenmore Reservoir and TransAlta’s Ghost Reservoir being lowered to expand storage capacity.

“Evacuations, road or bridge closures, temporary barriers, flood barrier closures (e.g., Montgomery, downtown, Sunnyside), operation of the Springbank Reservoir (SR1), and related responses are not anticipated to be required,” the city said in a statement.

Pathway closures are in effect along the Elbow River, including at the 25 Avenue underpass, CNR Bridge underpass, and at MacLeod Trail north and south.

Along the Bow River, city officials have closed the north bank underpass at the Reconciliation Bridge, the Centre Street Brige, and the Louise Bridge.

Closures are also in effect at the Bowmont Park pathways and north channel bridge, the north bank pathway at the Calgary Zoo, the Baines Bridge underpass, as well as some north side pathways at St. Patricks Island.

City officials said more than 70 per cent of the damage potential that existed in 2013 has been eliminated due to more than $1.3 billion in investments for “flood resilience measures” from the federal, provincial and municipal governments over the last 13 years.

“This investment includes new reservoir storage and operations, community scale flood barriers, stormwater outfall gates, riverbank erosion protection, pumping stations, as well as forecasting, monitoring and flood response capabilities,” the city said in a statement.