The RM of St. Louis remains under a local emergency as rapid snowmelt continues to send water over roads and into low-lying areas throughout the municipality.
Reeve Emile Boutin said Friday the RM declared the emergency on Wednesday, April 22, after it became clear the drainage system could not keep up with the amount of water moving through the area.
“The rate of melt and runoff was going to exceed the ability of the drainage system to handle the extreme flows in a controlled manner,” Boutin said.
He said the RM is not preparing for possible flooding anymore. Flooding is already happening.
“It is flooding,” Boutin said. “As we speak, it’s flooding.”
The RM has seen water running over roads in many places, along with water building up inside some of its hamlets. Boutin said there have been issues in Bellevue and Domremy, while sandbags provided through the Saskatchewan Public Safety Agency were used to help protect the water plant in Hoey.
Boutin said more than 10 roads are closed, although he did not have an exact number Friday afternoon.
“There are more closed roads in the RM than I can count,” he said.
He urged residents not to drive through flooded roads, even if the water does not appear deep from the surface.
“We do not want people driving through it, because you never know if there could be a washout below the flow,” Boutin said. “Somebody could fall in and get trapped, or something bad could happen.”
RM public works and maintenance crews are identifying dangerous areas, closing unsafe roads and trenching across some roads to relieve water pressure where needed. Boutin said roads will remain closed until flows subside, crews can inspect the damage, and repairs can be made.
The RM has not had to evacuate residents so far.
Boutin said most farmyards appear safe at this point, but residents should contact the municipal office if water begins approaching their property, road or farmyard. He said the RM can coordinate with the province for sandbags if needed.
“Our main concern is for the health and well-being of all those involved,” he said. “That’s our number one concern.”
The latest snowfall and more snow in the forecast have added another concern. Boutin said the RM is expecting high flows to continue rather than quickly subside.
Snow fell Thursday, continued Friday, and more snow was forecast for Saturday in the St. Louis area. Environment Canada had a yellow snowfall warning in place Friday for the St. Louis area. The forecast, issued at 4 p.m. CST Friday, called for snow Friday night with two to four centimetres expected, periods of light snow Saturday and Saturday night, and a 30 percent chance of flurries Sunday.
During a media availability, officials with SPSA, the Water Security Agency and the Ministry of Highways said several Saskatchewan communities were dealing with localized flooding, high flows, and road impacts.
SPSA communications manager Jeff Dedekker said emergency services officers were in contact with Foam Lake, Pierce Land, and the RM of St. Louis. Tyler Harrison, an SPSA emergency services official, said the agency had been in conversations with the RM of St. Louis about its needs.
Water Security Agency president and CEO Shawn Jaques said the agency issued a high flow advisory for a large area of the province, including parts of northern and eastern Saskatchewan. He said an above-normal snowpack, a cool wet spring, slow melting, and then a sharp warm-up helped create flooding conditions.
Jaques said cooler weather may help stabilize some water levels, but some forested areas still have snowpack that has not fully melted.
The Ministry of Highways also warned that road conditions can change quickly. Officials urged motorists to check the Highway Hotline before travelling.
Boutin said the RM will continue responding until the emergency passes.
“We are intent on seeing this emergency through until such a time that it passes and that the situation returns to normal,” he said.
arjun.pillai@paherald.sk.ca
