This will be the final update unless conditions change in south-central Alberta.

Current situation

Water levels for all major rivers in Alberta are ranging from normal to above normal. Most rivers flowing out of the foothills have peaked. Peaks on the major rivers will move across the province over the weekend.

Albertans can monitor water levels and river flows on rivers.alberta.ca and the Alberta Rivers app.

The Government of Alberta continues to work directly with affected municipalities through the Alberta Emergency Management Agency.

States of local emergency are still active in Calgary and the Municipal District of Bighorn.

River conditions

Environment and Parks’ River Forecast Centre continues to monitor river levels and update advisories, watches and warnings through rivers.alberta.ca and the Alberta Rivers app.

Bow River Basin 

Advisories: 

  • Flood watch – Pipestone River

Red Deer River Basin 

Advisories: 

  • Flood warning downgraded to flood watch – Little Red Deer River 

North Saskatchewan River Basin 

Advisories: 

  • Flood warning downgraded to flood watch – Clearwater River
  • Flood watch downgraded to high streamflow advisory – Brazeau River, Ram River, Prairie Creek, Baptiste River, Nordegg River 

For information on high streamflow warnings, please visit rivers.alberta.ca or download the Alberta Rivers app.

Road closures

Highway 734 will remain closed over the weekend from the access to the Hummingbird Recreational Area to the North Ram Bridge.

Parks closures

Visitors in affected campgrounds are being notified of severe weather and high water levels and should be prepared to evacuate on short notice. 

Current park closures include:

  • Elk Creek provincial recreation area
  • Ram Falls Provincial Park
  • Crescent Falls campground
  • Seven Mile provincial recreation area
  • Prairie Creek provincial recreation area
  • Tay River provincial recreation area
  • Medicine Lake provincial recreation area
  • Red Lodge Provincial Park
  • Strachan provincial recreation area
  • Willow Creek group use campground in Cypress Hills Provincial Park
  • lower gate access roads to Dry Island Buffalo Jump Provincial Park
  • access roads to Fish Creek Provincial Park (Bebo Grove and Bridge Three pathway)

More information is available at albertaparks.ca.

How Albertans can help

Albertans who live in affected areas should look for updates from their local government regarding evacuations and closures and download the Alberta Emergency Alert app. For the latest information on river conditions, visit rivers.alberta.ca or download the Alberta Rivers app.

Additional information

The River Forecast Centre started 24-hour flood event operations at 6 a.m. on June 13 to monitor conditions, run flood forecasting models and update flood advisories.

Backgrounder

Previous updates

Update 3: June 16, 3:30 p.m.

The low pressure system that brought rain to much of Alberta this week moved into Saskatchewan June 15. This system brought 30-50 millimetres of widespread precipitation to central and southern Alberta June 12-16.

In the foothills from west of Calgary to Pincher Creek, 80-100 millimetres of rain was observed, with locally higher amounts up to 160 millimetres west of Okotoks. Up to 65 centimetres of snow fell at higher elevations.

Ten to 30 millimetres of rainfall are expected in central portions of the province through June 17. The largest amounts of rain will be due to convective activity June 16 and 17.

Flood peaks in the major rivers are expected to move across the province over the remainder of the week. Flood mitigation infrastructure continues to hold and there has been no major flooding. Albertans can monitor the flood peaks using near real-time water levels and river flows on rivers.alberta.ca and the Alberta Rivers app.

The Government of Alberta continues to work directly with affected municipalities through the Alberta Emergency Management Agency.

States of local emergency are still active in Calgary and the Municipal District of Bighorn.

Update 2: June 15 at 3:30 p.m.

The Government of Alberta continues to work directly with affected municipalities through the Alberta Emergency Management Agency.

A cold low system has brought heavy precipitation to much of central and southern Alberta. Since the morning of June 12, widespread areas of Alberta have received up to 30 millimetres of rain. Heavier amounts have been observed from areas just west of Sundre, west of Calgary and north of Pincher Creek. In this area of heavier precipitation, 80 millimetres to 100 millimetres was observed, with locally higher amounts of up to 160 millimetres west of Calgary. Some of the precipitation fell as snow along the eastern slopes. Lingering shower activity is possible on June 15. 

On June 16, a further five millimetres to 20 millimetres of precipitation is possible across most of southern and central portions of the province, with locally higher amounts resulting from convective activity. 

States of local emergency are still active in Calgary and the Municipal District of Bighorn.

Municipalities can request flood prevention equipment from the provincial flood stockpile by contacting the Provincial Operations Centre. The Provincial Operations Centre has not yet received any requests from municipalities for flood equipment from the provincial flood stockpile and has been in regular contact with municipalities through their directors of emergency management.

Municipalities have the ability and authority to source and procure flood equipment for their own or regional use from third party vendors as they identify their needs. Budget 2022 has a $1-billion contingency for disaster and emergency assistance.

Update 1: June 14 at 4:30 p.m.

A cold low pressure system started bringing widespread rainfall to southern Alberta on June 13. The following amounts are expected before the rain tapers off on June 15:

  • 125-150 mm of widespread rain from the headwaters of the North Saskatchewan River basin to the Highwood River basin
  • 30-60 mm of rain is expected in the upper Bow Valley
  • 70-100 mm of rain is expected in the upper Oldman River basin

Significant rainfall is not expected in northwestern Alberta and the Hay River basin this week.

The River Forecast Centre started 24-hour flood event operations at 6 a.m. on June 13 to monitor conditions, run flood forecasting models and update flood advisories.

The Government of Alberta is also working directly with affected municipalities through the Alberta Emergency Management Agency. Flood mitigation infrastructure continues to hold and there has been no major flooding.

Municipalities can request flood prevention equipment from the provincial flood stockpile by way of a request to the Provincial Operations Centre. The Provincial Operations Centre has not yet received any requests from municipalities for flood equipment from the provincial flood stockpile and has been in regular contact with municipalities through their directors of emergency management.

Municipalities have the ability and authority to source and procure flood equipment for their own or regional use from third party vendors as they identify their needs. Budget 2022 has a $1-billion contingency for disaster and emergency assistance.