Saskatchewan’s Water Security Agency says next spring’s runoff could be higher than normal.

Above average rainfall and snow through this summer and fall created wet conditions at freeze-up. The agency said the Souris River basin, including the Antler River and Gainsborough Creek, was particularly wet.

However, most of southern Saskatchewan is wetter than normal.

“If near average climatic conditions are observed over the winter months, an above average spring runoff is expected across most of the southern portion of the province in 2020,” said the agency’s provincial forecast. “While conditions over much of the south are wetter than normal, conditions are not as wet as the falls of 2010 and 2016.”

This doesn’t mean flooding will occur next spring. The actual runoff will depend on snow accumulation and precipitation in the spring.

Current long-range forecasts are predicting precipitation near normal and temperatures above normal for the first three months of winter, the WSA said.

Northern Saskatchewan will begin winter with normal conditions.

The agency said the only areas where conditions were drier than normal at freeze-up are a small area near Kindersley, the area between Saskatoon and Prince Albert, and a small area northeast of Yorkton extending to the Manitoba border.

Contact karen.briere@producer.com