Runoff in the northeast part of the province is expected to be around average. (File photo/northeastNOW staff)

By Doug Lett

spring runoff northeast

Limited flooding happening northeast RMs

Apr 18, 2023 | 5:00 PM

While some areas of Saskatchewan are dealing with intense flooding, some parts of the northeast are dealing with issues of their own.

A couple of smaller roads in the RM of Kinistino have been declared impassible because of the spring melt.

“They’re sort of side grid roads that have been affected by washout. There are two bridges there,” said RM Administrator Jacquelynne Mann. “I think it’s pretty usual, although, we haven’t had to close them for at least a year.”

The two spots are northeast of the town of Kinistino.

However, she added that overall, there is little flooding in the RM, compared to previous years. “There isn’t much, actually….it’s drying up very very quickly.”

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Other RMs in the region have a similar story.

In the RM of Arborfield, the Warner Bridge has been closed as of April 16 because spring runoff is going over the bridge. The bridge is north of the town of Arborfield.

But RM administrator Andrea Bell said that is not uncommon.

“We’re kind of lucky this year actually, it’s kind of all happened within a few days,” she said. “It’s been a slow melt…(runoff) has been average to below average,” she said.

The RMs of Torch River and Tisdale both said they have not had any flooding problems.

Meanwhile, the RM of Birch Hills said flooding there has been very limited.

“I would say it’s an average year,” said administrator Cherie Opseth. “There’s the occasional culvert that needs attending to or the occasional road where water has flowed over…but it’s usually been resolved in less than a day.”

That falls in line with what the province’s Water Security Agency has been predicting.

In its spring runoff report issued last month, the WSA predicted runoff would be above normal in much of the northeast, but not too significant.

And in an advisory sent Tuesday afternoon as the province faced a late-season snowstorm, the WSA said for the northeast, not much has changed.

“Runoff is ongoing, but there are no issues or forecasted risk of flooding at this time,” it said in reference to central Saskatchewan.

“Over areas where the snowmelt is largely completed, snow is better than rain as the moisture will be released slowly,” it said.

However, the advisory added there are areas in the southeast, such as the Souris River, Moose Mountain Creek and lower parts of the Qu’Appelle River, where more snow is expected there could be localized flooding.

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doug.lett@pattisonmedia.com

Twitter: @DougLettSK