HIGH RIVER, AB: Residents may have noticed that water drainage pumps have recently been moved to key locations along the dikes in town. This is a regular part of the Town’s emergency preparedness measures in preparation for flood season.
The dikes in High River have been built with storm outfalls inside the structure that allow storm water to drain through them. The system drains freely unless the river rises. If the river rises above the outfall there is a flapper valve which automatically closes, keeping the river water out.
The dikes also have manual valves that can be closed in a high water event. The pumps have been set up to alleviate any storm water accumulation that may occur and they will remain at the ready until the end of June.
In addition to setting up the pumps, all of the Town’s emergency preparedness systems have been recently tested and other preparedness measures have been completed including:
- Creating and staging 500 sandbags at critical infrastructure locations for rapid deployment
- Inspecting and repairing all interim flood protection bags
- Recalibrating river flow monitoring gauge stations along the Highwood River
- Updating standard operating procedures for high flow alarms.
For more information on emergency preparedness in High River, please visit the Town’s newly-launched emergency preparedness website, www.HRready.ca, designed to help residents and businesses stay informed and prepared for future emergencies.