After a relatively quiet night, Drumheller has seen little deviation from flood projections shared by Alberta Environment on Saturday night.
As of 3 a.m., on Sunday, water is expected to peak at roughly 1,300 cubic metres per second around midnight tonight.
Crews continue to work on mitigation as the water creeps upward in some areas. Last night aroud 6 p.m., crews arrived in Lehigh to begin building dykes around low-lying areas. There, water was inching close to some residences. The Town also provided sand and bags to East Coulee for residents to use on their property. Overland flooding was observed near the Hoodoos.
Mayor Terry Yemen said they have had a few breaches of the newly constructed dykes, but cautioned it is expected.
Overnight, there were numerous manned road blocks to keep residents and property safe. Drumheller RCMP Staff Sergeant Art Hopkins felt it was relatively quiet, with very few concerns.
There has been an increased security presence in the Valley, with 25 extra RCMP members, peace officers, and volunteers. The RCMP helicopter was in Drumheller on Saturday, where it was involved in making images of the river to aid planners and providing increased security.
Hopkins said he expects the chopper to be back on Sunday, if it is not needed in other parts of the province.
Residents are asked to take precautions on roadways. As crews continue mitigation work, roads will be busy with traffic.
"We are moving an incredible amount of dirt, so things are moving fast. If you don't have to be out on the road, stay at home and stay out of the way of the teams working around town," said Yemen.
Stay tuned to www.drumhellermail.com and the Drumheller Facebook page for the latest updates, stories, photos, and videos.
