Rising water shuts down part of Prince Albert park

Rising water levels on the North Saskatchewan River forced the temporary closure of parts of Little Red River Park in Prince Albert. Jasmine Pelletier reports.

Rising water levels along the North Saskatchewan River have forced the temporary closure of part of Little Red River Park in Prince Albert.

In a news release sent Thursday, the City of Prince Albert said a section of the park will be closed Friday due to the risk of water backing up into core areas.

The Highway 55 entrance to the Cosmopolitan Lodge and Knotty Pine Bistro will be closed during this time.

“We know that that will backflow into the park, and there are some low-lying areas that we are concerned that would be potential or at risk of flooding,” Prince Albert Fire Chief Kris Olsen said.

The city said the precautionary measure is to ensure public safety as river levels continue to rise due to the rainfall in Alberta and the expected rainfall this weekend.

“A decision regarding reopening the affected section will be made early next week following a review of the latest river flow data and an on-site assessment, Parks and Open Spaces manager Tim Yeaman said.

A high flow advisory is also in effect for the North Saskatchewan and Saskatchewan River systems.

An advisory issued by the Water Security Agency Thursday said rainfall in Alberta over the past week has increased river flows, which are expected to raise water levels near Prince Albert by nearly two metres by June 27.

“I want to stress at this point in time, if something was to happen and someone was to go in the river, it puts everybody at risk. It not only puts the person that needs rescuing, but it would put the staff at risk as well,” said Olsen.

Flows are forecast to increase from about 450 cubic metres per second to roughly 1,500 and may remain elevated for an extended period due to ongoing precipitation.

Residents are being advised to stay out of the water, avoid low-lying and riverbank areas, keep pets away from the river, and refrain from using watercraft because of fast-moving water and debris.

“When we’re talking two-meter increase in river height and when you’re talking about the speed of the river tripling potentially, our advice, the advice from the City of Prince Albert and the Prince Albert Fire Department is to stay clear,” said Olsen.