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Saskatchewan spring runoff forecast for March

Mar. 11, 2014 - Saskatchewa's March forecast and outlook on spring runoff ranges from well above normal near Prince Albert in the central portion of the province to below normal in the southwest.

The Water Security Agency says that central Saskatchewan, from Saskatoon and North Battleford to Prince Albert and Melfort, is expected to see an above normal to well above normal runoff in certain areas.

Peak flows on the Saskatchewan River system are largely determined by alpine snow accumulation and spring/early summer rainfall in the mountains. If the normal amount of precipitation is received, flows are expected to be above normal for the North Saskatchewan and South Saskatchewan Rivers, but not cause flooding.

Ice jams during the spring runoff on any river system can cause local flooding regardless of the forecasted flow.

Spring runoff depends on a number of factors: moisture conditions from the fall; snow accumulation from the winter; the rate of melt in the spring; and the amount of rainfall during the runoff. Above normal precipitation prior to spring runoff and/or a fast melt could result in higher flows and significantly alter the forecast.

The complete forecast including projected lake levels and stream flows is available at www.wsask.ca.

March 13, 2014  By Top Crop Manager