Crews respond to sudden runoff flooding in Melfort

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A bridge east of Melfort. (Image Credit: Submitted/Adam Homes)

City eyes culvert improvements

Crews respond to sudden runoff flooding in Melfort

53m ago

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While the flooding situation in Melfort wasn’t as serious as it was in other jurisdictions, it did cause some issues. Homes said the neighbourhood of Creekside on the east side of the city was impacted by the closure of Spruce Haven Road. The secondary access road in the area through the RM of Star City was also closed by that evening. 

“We were able to notify many residents prior to the secondary closing, allowing them to park their vehicles on the west side of the road closure on Spruce Haven Road,” Homes said. “Fortunately, the water had already started to subside on Sunday, and we were able to repair Spruce Haven Road, and reopen it to traffic the next day.” 

Homes said residents on the edge of the city limits along McDonald Avenue were also impacted by the closure, and the most significant damage occurred along Spruce Haven Road. However, he added that Public Works staff successfully repaired all damaged roads when the water receded. The residents of Creekside were heavily impacted for a day, with both access roads closed. 

Flooding at McDonald Avenue. (Image Credit: Submitted/Adam Homes)

Heavy spring runoff and rain can affect Melfort Creek, said Homes, but there are controls in place within the creek system to help mitigate the impacts.  

“Additionally, all current development is situated above the 1:500-year rainfall event threshold. Overall, while Melfort Creek may experience issues from spring runoff and heavy rainfall, the existing controls are designed to minimize potential problems.” 

Homes said the city is looking at improvements to the culverts on Spruce Haven Road, reinforcing them to ensure they can handle large runoffs. He added city staff are trained to handle various emergency management issues that arise. 

“We’d like to extend a heartfelt thank you to all of our residents for your understanding and patience while our crews worked hard to manage the spring runoff,” Homes stated. “We truly appreciate your support.” 

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cam.lee@pattisonmedia.com