According to Alberta Environment numbers, the flow rate at Drumheller as of 5 p.m. was 1,332 cubic metre per second, surpassing the predicted peak of 1,300.
Residents and workers have kept one eye on the river all day, expecting a crest close to midnight. According to flow rates posed on Alberta Environment’s website, the rate of flow is increasing.
Mayor Terry Yemen said as the day has progressed, crews have been busy building and repairing dykes and “putting out fires.”
“There was a breach in the dykes in Lehigh,” said Yemen. “There have been lots of little things popping up”
Lehigh has now been evacuated, 14 homes are affected by flooding.
Throughout the day, sandbags have been distributed throughout the valley, and crews continue to fortify dykes in Midland, Rosedale and Newcastle. On Sunday afternoon, the Gordon Taylor Bridge was reduced to a single lane as attempts were made to free a logjam below the bridge.
Mayor Yemen explains following the 2005 flood, dykes were rebuilt to be at least one foot higher than the maximum level in 2005. Some have already been breached.
He says they have not received any revised flow numbers other than the original 1,300cubic metre/ second that was predicted, so they do not know whether the water will rise any further. Anecdotal information from residents watching their property show the flow has been slowing down as the day has progressed.
“We are not sure where we are going to end up,” said Yemen. “They (Alberta Environment) gave us indications that it wasn’t going to be worse than 2005.”
