City of Calgary rescinds State of Local Emergency
The City announced it will rescind the State of Local Emergency (SOLE), effective today, June 17, 2022.
Over the past week, City crews, first responders, and partner agencies have been monitoring and preparing for the risk of flood in communities along our riverbanks, brought on by heavy rain and storm systems. Though some rain is still expected in Calgary, the intense weather system The City has been monitoring for early next week is not expected to reach the Calgary region.
The City of Calgary is confident that the risk from the second weather system has passed, and the powers afforded under the State of Local Emergency are no longer deemed necessary.
“The State of Local Emergency and opening the Emergency Operations Centre allowed us to bring all our partners together to manage not only the risk of river flooding, but also water pooling on roadways, downed trees and power lines, impacts to City services like parks, pathways and roads, and making sure citizens got information they needed in a timely way,” says Chief Sue Henry with the Calgary Emergency Management Agency (CEMA). “Calgarians can be confident that The City and its many partners are ready keep you safe.”
City crews will begin decommissioning the temporary flood barrier on Memorial Drive on Saturday, June 18, at 7 a.m. During this time, road closures will be in effect along Memorial Drive to accommodate the crews and equipment needed in the area. All lanes will reopen to traffic no later than Monday.
All storm water outfalls are open and pumps that were deployed to communities will be removed on Saturday.
Calgary’s high river flow season runs from May 15 to July 15 and our teams will continue monitoring the rivers 24/7, keeping an eye on any large rain system that can cause river flooding while watching the snowpack in the mountains as it continues to melt.
“The investments we’ve made to improve our modeling and forecasting has been key to ensure we have the most accurate information available to prepare and respond quickly and effectively to protect Calgarians, their homes, and businesses from the risk of flooding,” says Director of Water Resources, Francois Bouchart. “We were able to mobilize quickly this past week because of the more accurate information we have.”
Although the risk of flooding has subsided, water levels are still high, and the boating advisory remains in effect on both the Bow and Elbow Rivers and will be in place until water levels taper off to a safe level. Calgarians are advised to stay away from the rivers and against boating and all other watercraft activities on the Bow and Elbow Rivers as well as the Glenmore Reservoir during this time.
Members of the Calgary Fire Department Aquatics Team will be monitoring the rivers while the boating advisory is in place, and we will continue to keep the public informed of any changes.
Park closures
While most parks have reopened, Elbow Island Park in the Rideau community remains closed until further notice. Information on closures is shared on calgary.ca/flood.
Stay updated
Forecast and river conditions can change quickly and with little warning, so it’s important Calgarians continue to stay informed. Visit Calgary.ca/floodinfo to sign up for emergency notifications and follow updates from The City through local media and on The City’s social media.
These conditions are current at the time of writing. Note that weather and river conditions are subject to rapid change without notice. The City is continually monitoring for changing conditions and will respond accordingly. To learn more about river flow rates, what is normal, and when flooding begins, visit our updated River Flow Rates webpage.
The City wishes to thank our first responders, partner agencies, and all those working behind the scenes for their response. Thank you also to citizens of Calgary for their patience and cooperation as we worked together to manage impacts from this heavy rain and wind event.
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