The Northwest region and much of Saskatchewan remained on flood watch this week, as concern shifted away from the south-central region to other areas of the province.
The main source of concern in the northwest continues to be the Battle River Watershed, which is seeing rising water levels.
According to the Saskatchewan Watershed Authority's April 19 update, flows were reported at the provincial boundary of 90 cubic metres on April 18 and were increasing. These flows were to hit Battleford by April 23. Battleford has been advised.
Also, local flooding remains an issue throughout the region including in the RMs of Vanscoy, Bayne and Corman Park.
In the northwest, eight communities were approved for flood protection grants last Friday. They are the town of Spiritwood, resort village of Pebble Baye, the rural municipalitiesof Leask, Shellbrook and Blaine Lake, and villages of Canwood, Shell Lake and Leask.
Each were approved for assistance under the Emergency Flood Damage Reduction Program and will share funding from the Saskatchewan Watershed Authority totaling almost $94,000.
According to the province the grants will cover a wide variety of flood protection activities including clearing snow and debris from culverts, channels and ditches, repairing dykes, building up roads and replacing culverts, sandbagging and pumping equipment. The grant to Spiritwood is for $23,250 for clearing snow and clearing channels, clearing culverts and ditches, and repairing a dyke. The Medstead grant is $4750 for clearing culverts and a ditch. The RM of Leask is receiving $26,390 and the RM of Shellbrook $24,300.
As well, the village of Borden was approved for a steam culvert valued at $3,000.
News media were updated on the flood situation around the province in a Monday conference call with John Fahlman of the Saskatchewan Watershed Authority.
He reported that in several parts of the province the flood situation had eased somewhat as cooler temperatures slowed melting. As a result flows in the southern portion of the province declined.
However it has "stretched the runoff period considerably", he said.
According to statistics released Tuesday on the SaskFlood website, flows in Lumsden on April 19 dropped to 220 cubic metres from an estimated 275 the previous day. As a result, peak flows have been delayed and are now not expected to exceed the 300 cubic metres seen over last weekend. The flood level at Buffalo Pound Lake is said to be stabilizing. But a flood warning was issued for the Missouri River Basin, with peak flows forecast at 200 cubic metres.
