Snapshots of Wetness
"Pursuant to Section 21 of the Disaster Services Act (R.S.A. 2000 ch. D-13) and Section 4 of The City of Calgary Bylaw 25M2002, a state of local emergency has been declared in the City of Calgary effective 6:20 p.m., 2005 June 18."
"The average rainfall for June is 79.8 mm, said Brad Shannon, Environment Canada meteorologist, but Calgary has already had 165 mm this month alone." [preliminary measurements at YYC now put this over 200 -- Alberta Environment, 18-Jun-2005 21:09 MST]
"The last time the month of June was this soggy was in 1902, when 224 mm of rain fell."
"Elbow River below Glenmore Dam; Water Height in metres
2005-06-16 20:30:00 1.831
2005-06-18 20:30:00 3.012"
"The excessive rainfall also forced the evacuation of the hamlet of Priddis west of Calgary and surrounding areas after the Loon Lake Dam was breached."
"Water began cresting over the Glenmore Dam along the Elbow River in the city's south end late Saturday night."
"At least 2,000 residents and campers in the city have been ordered to seek higher ground. Some people had to be airlifted from flood ravaged parts of the city using emergency helicopters."
"This is mandatory and it's mandatory because of public safety."
"The normal flow rate in one area is 80 cubic meters per second, the mayor said, but 'we are anticipating by midnight a flow rate of 400 cubic meters per second.'"
"[R]ising water washed out bike paths and swirled around lilac trees in areas in the shadow of the downtown skyscrapers and signature Calgary Tower."
"Motorists are advised to avoid several areas of the city where roads have been closed as a result of high water conditions.
Sections of Memorial Drive at Centre Street
Bannister Road under Macleod Trail
Access to westbound Glenmore Trail from Glendeer Circle
Elbow Drive, south of Sifton Boulevard S.W.
25 Avenue S.W., west of Macleod Trail to 1 Street S.W.
4 Street S.W. bridge over Elbow River, south of 25 Avenue
S.W."
"The Calgary Zoo has an emergency evacuation plan in place. Selected animals at the zoo have already been evacuated..."
"[I]n Sundre ... about 800 people were forced to leave for higher ground as the Red Deer River rose.
Even the emergency operations centre is being moved....
"Our biggest concern now is exit out of [Sundre],' Mayor Roy Cummings said. Two of four exits from the town northwest of Calgary are impassable, and 'if we lose those (other) exits, we won't have a place to go, or to get out.'"
"Near Okotoks, just south of Calgary, about 50 campers who ignored an earlier request to leave had to be airlifted out by helicopter when rains made a moat out of their escape routes."
"In Okotoks itself, residents tried to save their businesses as a river of water ran down main street."
"In Cochrane, the RCMP said traffic has delayed crews moving sandbags, causing more flooding."
"[T]he Trans Canada Highway remains closed with almost two metres of rain covering parts."
"We now know how this valley has been carved out - by the power of the river."
