No worrisome flooding occurs after SMRID releases dam
The immediate flood watch for low lying areas and local golf courses is over, says Cypress County.
“Everything is very well controlled. Our main concerns were with the golf courses ... and no one had any water damage or flooding over the banks,” said John Belanger, director of emergency management and corporate services for Cypress County.
St. Mary’s River Irrigation District began releasing water from Murray Dam, near Seven Persons, into Seven Persons Creek at about 1 p.m. Wednesday, doubling that flow starting about 4 p.m.
Wednesday, Cottonwood Coulee, Paradise Valley and Desert Blume golf courses were all notified there could be flooding overnight and into Thursday as a result.
SMRID said it expects the current flow to remain the same, with Belanger noting the peak has come and gone. There are no immediate plans to increase the flow from Murray Dam, he confirmed.
“At this stage there is lots of water in Forty Mile County that has to melt and move somewhere,” he said. “However, there is another buffer with the Ducks Unlimited water works. It kind of flows through there before we get to Murray Dam.”
Although the flow in Ross Creek at Highway 41 continued to increase Thursday, the water level had been reduced slightly from 1.55 metres on Tuesday to about 1.50 metres Thursday, according to Alberta Environment data.
The water level in Bullshead Creek at Black and White Trail had also declined from a peak of 9.11 metres on Wednesday to about 9.01 metres Thursday, according to Alberta Environment data.