Olds officials are having land in the Olds area assessed for future potential flooding after several recent releases including the flooding out of a 30-unit townhouse complex on 53 Ave.
“We're concerned around the community because in the last two weeks we've had several releases,” said Larry Wright, the municipality's director of operations.
The flooding of Braeburn Estates left more than 70 people temporarily homeless last Tuesday when a storm water management pond on an undeveloped quarter section of land in southwest Olds flooded over.
Residents said they watched as the pond, some say is 25 feet deep, fill up the day prior, only to crest Tuesday by early evening.
Two weeks earlier, Wright said a water release by 57 Ave. and 53 St. near Olds Elementary and Horizon school properties also scared some residents.
A rapid release also occurred by Lake Ridge.
“What I want to know is, is there more water, is there a risk of any other quick release,” said Wright.
Five days prior to the flooding at Braeburn Estates, the provincial government issued a spring runoff advisory.
For the first time this year, temperatures across the province were forecast to be at or above normal seasonal values for an extended period.
Starting on Saturday, April 23 daytime temperatures were forecast to be in the low double digits, changing to mid to high double digits on the Sunday and Easter Monday and returning to normal for the remainder of next week.
Provincial officials said the very cool spring experienced to date has meant that for many rural areas of the province the above average snowpack accumulated over the winter has not had the opportunity to melt slowly.
A slow melt is typical with normal, gradually warming, air temperatures, the advisory said.
A rapid melt caused by the quick change to normal temperatures combined with the prior week's precipitation and high soil moisture conditions may cause localized overland flooding as the water makes its way into streams, the April 21 advisory stated.
In low-lying areas where water does not have a direct route to stream channels localized ponding can be expected, said provincial officials.
The advisory pointed out that water levels would rise in the smaller creeks with a possibility of flooding in adjacent low-lying areas.
No significant water level rises were expected in the major rivers.
Anyone who is situated close to the creeks affected, or in areas that have experienced overland flooding in the past, is advised to be cautious of rising water levels over the long weekend.
Town CAO Norm McInnes said the area of town where recent flooding has occurred “is a historical flood plain.”
He added though, that in the three years he has been in Olds, he has not seen flooding like has just happened.
Wright said the changing landscape by subdivision development affects water patterns as well and is always planned for in area structure plans and development agreements.
“Our town is growing and it's too bad it can't grow all at once,” he said.
