The Milk River Watershed Council Canada (MRWCC) is warning users of southern Alberta’s Milk River of a drop in flow due to a “catastrophic failure” the morning of June 17.
According to an email sent by Mary Lupwayi, MRWCC program coordinator, the failure occurred at the St Mary siphon over the St Mary River near Babb, Montana. Crews with the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation were inspecting a crack at the time of the incident.
“Thankfully no one was hurt,” wrote Lupwayi, who reported “significant flash flooding” of debris and water flowing into the St Mary River along the Canadian Reach through to the St Mary Reservoir.
“Please be careful in low-lying areas and along unstable banks,” she wrote.
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As for the Milk River, Lupwayi said flows can be expected to drop starting on the North Fork Milk River within about 24 hours and within approximately 48 hours near and east of the Town of Milk River.
Natural flows on the Milk River in combination with current rain should maintain approximately five or six cubic metres per second for water users, she said.
“This will likely drop with depletion of the bank aquifers. All recreational activity is not recommended immediately as flows will drop very suddenly.”
