St. Albert's Sturgeon River swells to record levels as city urges people to stay away
The river is so high that sidewalks and park areas are underwater. Water levels could rise further over the next couple of days.
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St. Albert's Sturgeon River is so high that sidewalks, signs, and park areas are underwater, prompting city officials to warn residents to stay away from the waterway.
The region received 255 millimetres of rain last month, believed to be a record for June, according to Regan Lefebvre, the City of St. Albert's senior manager of utilities. While the 1974 major flood event saw the river reach half a metre higher than current levels, Lefebvre noted the water is still very high.
"We have removed the docks," he said. "We consider this to be a safety hazard with these levels. There's hazards below the water that people may not be aware of." St. Albert Fire Services may not be able to conduct rescue operations on the river, as staff aren't trained in swift water conditions and are not allowed to conduct unsafe rescue operations.
Several trails are now closed, including the Ray Gibbon Drive underpass, the Boudreau Road underpass, and the St. Albert Trail underpass. The southern portion of the trail in Grey Nuns White Spruce Park is also closed. The city has installed flood mitigation measures including makeshift dams, sandbags, and a Tiger Dam — a waterbed tube that fills with water.
"We expect the levels to continue to increase for at least the next couple of days even without any rain," Lefebvre said. "So rain will contribute and will raise the levels even further." The large floodplain on the west side of the city has helped prevent water levels from being even higher.
