More than 100 millimetres of rain fell in the Bow and Elbow catchments, and river flows are expected to stay high in Calgary and surrounding area.
While the rivers will remain high in Calgary for several days, the City said Monday that they don’t expect any overland flooding. Calgary’s Emergency Operations Centre (EOC) was activated to coordinate any potential flood response.
“Calgarians can expect to see localized areas of flooding next to rivers and creeks, closed pathways, and potential for basement seepage in some low-lying areas along the Bow River,” the City of Calgary said.
Meanwhile, a flood warning remains in place for the Elbow River upstream of Calgary.
Early Monday, the Government of Alberta began diverting flow from the Elbow River into the Springbank Off-Stream Reservoir, making it the first time the flood mitigation tool has been used since its 2025 completion.
“Meanwhile, Glenmore and Ghost Reservoir levels have been positioned to store river water and reduce flows through Calgary,” the City of Calgary said.
“The City is in close communication with the Government of Alberta and TransAlta, to share the best available information.”
In the province’s update, as of Monday afternoon, they noted the states of local emergency in Canmore and the Kananaskis Improvement District.
Evacuation alerts for the Town of Canmore were all rescinded, the province said.
“Access restrictions and localized closures are in effect for Kananaskis Country, including portions of Highway 40 and the Smith Dorrien Trail,” according to the Government of Alberta.
“Mudslides, road washouts, and bridge impacts are impeding public access. Staff and contractors are actively clearing routes to restore safe access.”
Albertans are being asked to avoid all non-essential travel to Kananaskis Country due to impacted road infrastructure.
EOC open, but unlikely more flood response is needed: City
The City of Calgary said it didn’t anticipate the need for additional flood response measures like barriers or evacuations.
The Calgary Fire Department issued a river safety advisory for both the Bow and Elbow Rivers, advising against boating and other water activities.
“While the school year has ended and everyone is excited for summer, the Calgary Fire Department advises everyone to stay off the Bow and the Elbow Rivers until safer conditions return and the river safety advisory is lifted,” said Alex Kwan, CFD’s Public Information Officer.
“We know that Calgarians love their rivers, and as we head into the Stampede, we welcome lots of visitors, so we want to remind everyone that when our waterways flow this high and fast, there’s significant risk, regardless of your watercraft or skill level. Those walking near our City’s rivers, including people with pets, should be careful as well.”
CFD expects that the water levels will be high through Canada Day and late into this week.
They said that the water temperature remains cold, and the water is dirty, making hazards like trees and other debris difficult to see in the water. Strong winds have increased the amount of debris floating in the rivers, CFD said.
Conditions for an advisory include Bow River flow rates exceeding 280 cubic metres per second and Elbow flow rates at 50 cubic metres per second. At one measuring location as of 6:05 p.m. on June 29, Bow River flow rates were 433 cubic metres per second.
For the latest flood information, you can visit the City of Calgary’s flood website.
