A storm that may result in up to 200 millimetres of rain has put much of southern Alberta on flood alert.
Evan Friesenhan, director of river forecasting for the province, said that could mean Oldman River flows of 4,500 cubic metres per second, which is roughly equivalent to flows seen in damaging 1995 floods.
Lethbridge County declared a state of emergency earlier today and Lethbridge city officials have met to form contingency plans. Sandbagging is planned tomorrow in the city’s low-lying areas.
Medicine Hat city officials are also working on flood preparedness, and Freisenhan said a worst-case scenario for Medicine Hat could see South Saskatchewan River flows as high as last year, when parts of the city were flooded and many homes were damaged.
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Alberta Environment said the Oldman River is expected to peak sometime Thursday and higher flows would reach Medicine Hat in about three days.
Flood warnings have also been issued for tributaries from the Cypress Hills, as well as Ross and Seven Persons creeks near Medicine Hat.
Flood warnings come almost exactly one year from the devastating floods of 2013, although the storm system behind it is centred farther south than last year.
Friesenhan said the Oldman Dam is operating as expected. Below the dam, Fort Macleod can expect the river to peak sometime Thursday evening but water levels will be determined by how much rainfall is received upstream.
No flooding is expected in Okotoks, Calgary or High River, which were hardest hit in last year’s flooding. The exception is Wallaceville, on High River, which may see some flooding, Freisenhan said.
As of this afternoon, water levels were rising and flood warnings were in effect for the Castle, Crowsnest, Oldman, Waterton, Belly and St. Mary rivers, Willow Creek below Chain Lakes, Waterton Lake, Lee Creek and Pincher Creek.
