Calgary exceeds monthly average rainfall as rivers remain high

The rain has tapered off in Calgary, but city officials say they are still monitoring storm drains and seeing increased 311 calls as river levels rise.

As a rainfall warning remains in place for Calgary, officials say the city has exceeded its monthly average rainfall for June in a period of just three days as 90 millimetres has fallen.

“Over the past three days, an average of 90 millimetres of precipitation has fallen across Calgary and the Bow and Elbow River catchments, with 10 to 15 millimetres more expected today, as the weather event concludes,” the city said in a release.

Officials are checking on stormwater drainage systems and have deployed a pump to Bowness as a precaution, the statement added.

3-1-1 has received 405 requests to clear catch basins and water that has accumulated in low-lying and flat surface areas.

Parts of the province have already received upwards of 120 millimetres of rain since Saturday evening, according to Environment and Climate Change Canada.

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The federal agency says water is expected to pool on roads and in low-lying areas, and warns not to drive through flooded roadways and to watch for washouts near rivers, creeks, and culverts.

As the rain continues, so do the high streamflow advisories across much of the province.

According to ECCC historical data, the weather station at Calgary International Airport reported 23.8 millimetres of rain, while the station at Canada Olympic Park recorded 32.5 millimetres on June 1.

In Calgary, the Bow and Elbow rivers are running fast and high.

The Calgary Fire Department says flows are approaching levels twice as high as what is considered dangerous for people on or near the water.

Boating advisories remain in place, and the city is asking Calgarians to stay away from riverbanks until conditions improve.

• Check the latest forecast and more on the CTV News Calgary weather page

Despite the elevated levels, officials and experts stress this is not shaping up like the devastating floods of 2013.

“It’s already dropping off in Banff, and it’s starting to level off even as you get into the reservoir and east of Canmore,” said John Pomeroy, a University of Saskatchewan professor and the director of Global Water Futures Observations.

The Bow River was flowing at roughly 437 m³/s Tuesday morning — well below the 2,400 m³/s peak seen during that disaster.

Experts say cooler mountain temperatures are also helping. The record snowpack in the Rockies has largely stayed frozen, limiting snowmelt and reducing the surge of water moving downstream.

Emergency officials say they will keep a close watch as conditions ease through the day.

With files from CTV’s Moses Woldu