High levels of rain and water rushing through the Churchill River system and the Island Falls Generating Station could mean trouble for northern communities along the river.
The Saskatchewan Water Security Agency (SWSA) expects that flow through Island Falls and Sandy Bay will soon exceed the highest flow ever recorded at the site in 2005. Water flow is expected to reach the 2005 level of 2,300 cubic metres per second as soon as Thursday and as high as 2,500 cubic metres per second through the dam July 23. Peak water levels are expected to be seen in the net week.
The SWSA said July 13 that peak levels for several northern communities, including Sandy Bay, are between a week and 10 days away.
The flows are anticipated to cause flooding through northern Saskatchewan and Manitoba communities along the Churchill River system.
Information from the Manitoba Hydrologic Forecast Centre (HFC) and Water Survey of Canada show the recorded river flow north of Leaf Rapids is now higher that it has been in mid July since 1973, trending upward as water continues to pour in from Saskatchewan. The river is now seeing nearly 1,700 cubic metres per second of water rushing north of Leaf Rapids.
Water level information released by the HFC July 9 stated that water levels at Pukatawagan are expected to peak this week, rising by as much as five to seven feet. Both Granville Lake and Leaf Rapids are expected to see rises in the next week and peaks in two or three weeks, with water levels expected to rise as much as 10 feet.
