Pathways, benches and the amphitheatre at Nose Creek Park were under water on April 9, as spring melting and run-off continued around Airdrie.
The park more closely resembled Venice, Italy than southern Alberta as snow and ice melted away, raising water levels significantly on the east side of the creek.
City staff urged residents to exercise caution when using pathways in the area near Nose Creek Park and any stormwater ponds around the city.
“There are areas with overland flow but they are continuing to operate still within their high water level design elevations,” said Lorne Stevens, director of Community Infrastructure.
Caution tape was tied between trees in the park in an effort to keep pedestrians clear of flooded pathways.
“Areas along Nose Creek, including park areas will be temporarily flooded during major run-off or rainfall events,” said Stevens. “This is a common planning technique to make use of an area that is normally dry as a park and also plan for it to be an overland flow area during spring run-off or heavy rains.”
Significant snowfall over the winter has led to the flooding, though thanks to melting happening in stages, water levels are not currently as high as they could have been according to Stevens.
“We had two distinct melting events, so the snow has melted away in stages,” he said. “It could’ve been higher had it all melted at once.”
Stevens says that the last time he remembers water levels this high or higher was in June 2005, though flooding is not uncommon.
“Around every two or three years we’ll see flooding like this,” Stevens said. “Any winter that we get a significant snowfall you’ll see this happening come spring.”
Nose Creek Park appears to have the most noticeable flooding, though pathways in Williamstown and Sagewood have both been drenched by recent flooding from storm water ponds.
As is routine every spring, Public Works staff have cleared a few areas with culverts or catch basins that are blocked and causing flooding. Any residents who suspect a blocked culvert or catch basin, can contact Public Works at 403-948-8415.
