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PostPosted: June 20th, 2013, 8:16 pm 
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i hope that the damage to people and property is limited but the video clips on the news look bad.
I've gone on the Alberta Environment website to follow the river flows on the graphs available. The rate of increase is amazing.
If you're interested, check out the Highwood River and Bragg Creek.

http://environment.alberta.ca/apps/basi ... DataType=1

Edit: Make that the Elbow River at Bragg Creek.
Ralph


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PostPosted: June 20th, 2013, 9:31 pm 
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It is pretty bad in areas along the rivers. Lots of damage, bridges, houses and highways gone. Even the #1 Trans Canada Highway has a section out by Canmore. No trains running there either. My daughter here in Calgary was evacuated tonight, and not certain when she will be allowed back home. Just Google Alberta Flooding to get lots of video and photos.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=p ... ObJReIIus8

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PostPosted: June 21st, 2013, 12:38 pm 
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I used to live in the Springbank area just west of Calgary and backing on to the Elbow, so this flooding got my attention. Our house was well up from the floodplain, but there was a bridge between us and the city that I'm sure must be under water right now.

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PostPosted: June 21st, 2013, 2:15 pm 
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Location: Calgary, AB or wherever life takes me
The devastation continues as banks and trees wash away, and more areas get flooded. The Saddledome is full up to at least the 10th row seats, with the lockerooms under water. Plus, we are getting more rain than forecast in the city, it has been raining pretty much most of the day so far, and is pouring right now.

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PostPosted: June 21st, 2013, 6:53 pm 
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Location: Canmore AB
Canmore has been cut off since Thurs AM.
The TCH is washed out on either side of town as is the 1A.
No ETA on opening as of this writing.
If you've seen the amazing videos of Cougar Creek, that is the area with the most dramatic area of damage. This creek bed is dry 11 months of the year but wakes up for a rain event 1-2x/yr.
All the houses in that area are evacuated. Folks have lost their homes. Where they used to have 50-60' of backyard and then a bike path before the creek, their foundation is now hanging in the air with the creek flowing under it. There are not any words to adequately describe this.
Other areas are flooded from the Bow which has comed up big time in the last 24h.
Canmore downtown area is built on the Bow River valley bottom with no basements and high water table. the Bow River itself is diked throughout the townsite.
The Bow is forecast to crest tonight sometime so a lot of our friends who are in Healthcare or Parks are on standbye until the crest happens.
We've had 190+mm in the past 48. 40-50mm still forecast. However as I write this the sun is out and it feels like the rain is done.
We're high and relatively dry. We've lent out our submersible pump and dry vac to friends in lower lying areas.
The Army has arrived in town.

Hugh

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PostPosted: June 22nd, 2013, 7:52 am 
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Glad to hear you weren't affected, Hugh. So sad for all those that were.

We went out to our rec land on the James River NW of Sundre late yesterday. We lost a few acres of land again, but fortunately the buildings are intact. We are going to have to move the main one, our cookhouse, fairly soon.

I don't think the extent of the devastation has even sunk in. The LRT tunnel in downtown Calgary is completely filled with water, which will affect transportation for tens of thousands daily until who knows when.

One thing that is warming out of this is the flood of support offered by other less affected. Offers for places to stay, food and clothing supplies, money donated. Many others have offered their help in cleaning up the mess of the aftermath, but for now have been advised that the best thing is to stay clear until all danger has passed. In an interview with our mayor CCN could not believe that the emergency shelters were not beyond capacity with 36 communities in the City evacuated, and that so many had found alternate places to stay.

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PostPosted: June 22nd, 2013, 10:06 am 
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Location: Canmore AB
From my FB status:
"Well folks; Sat AM and the sun is out.
Canmore is still cut off from the world. Rail lines are down and the TCH is still closed with no firm date for an opening. The 1A hwy "may" be open for light EB traffic today.
Being cut off may not be a bad thing as amazing stories and images are slowly emerging. The Bow seems to have peaked and the dykes are holding.
School has been cancelled for June in the Bow valley. No fatalities but some homes are in very rough shape and I'm sure those folks are devastated. The Town is working on a re entry plan for the evacuation areas. Bus service is being reinstated to Banff, but not private traffic. Brewsters advertised an airport shuttle for this AM to YYC. After seeing some new pics this AM of the hwy, I'm not sure that's going to work. This social media deal has been amazing! Between FB and Twitter we've been kept up to date. It has helped dispel rumours and kept us all feeling informed. Of course some of the dumbasses are emerging as well demanding all sorts of crap. It's kid of like waiting for a floatplane pickup after a canoe trip up North. We're running on Northern time. It will happen when it happens."

Hugh

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PostPosted: June 24th, 2013, 6:30 am 
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Here is a slideshow someone put together of images from the flood. The enormity of this disaster is something unprecedented for this area.

http://secure.smilebox.com/ecom/openThe ... d0d0a&sb=1

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PostPosted: June 24th, 2013, 11:15 am 
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Location: Saskatoon
Thanks for the updates guys. Those affected are certainly front and center of the minds of most Saskatchewanians these past several days. Probably the same across the country. Best wishes.
Bryan

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