Edmonton river valley trails closed as North Saskatchewan River reaches near-record levels

The City of Edmonton has closed multiple low-lying trails along the river valley this week due to rising water levels along the North Saskatchewan River, following a June that shattered a 112-year-old rainfall record.

The Highlands-Dawson Trail, Capilano-Gold Bar Trail, Emily Murphy-Kinsmen Trail, and the river loop trail near Fort Edmonton Park have all been closed. Additional closures along Mill Creek are in effect at Jackie Parker Park and the Minchau neighbourhood. Last month, Edmonton broke the previous June rainfall record of 216.5 millimetres set in 1914, with water wreaking havoc on the river valley.

"Normally we see high water every June, but this year was out of the ordinary of what we experienced over the last couple of years," said Braeden Holmstrom, supervisor of river valley parks for the City of Edmonton. The city evaluates conditions once water levels reach 5.5 metres — the threshold where low-lying trails become unsafe. Over the past week, the river rose nearly to 6.5 metres before dropping back to just below six metres.

One area in the Capilano-Gold Bar Trail has suffered erosion that caused a small portion to collapse. That trail will remain closed longer than the others as the city determines the extent of the damage. Holmstrom said the city expects to send teams out for evaluations and begin reopening trails within the next week, though the exact timeline depends on damage assessments.

"The trails when they're wet, they become muddy and become damaged as people walk on them," Holmstrom said. The city is asking residents to stay out of the water, away from low-lying areas along the North Saskatchewan River, and to obey all trail closure signage. Pets should be kept away from the river and creeks, and watercraft should stay off the river due to fast-moving water, strong currents, and debris.