There was an above-average number of snow falls in Saskatoon this winter, meaning extra snow on the streets to melt as the temperatures begin to rise. The City says in a news release that it’s time to plan for snow melt to drain on private and public property.

For the City’s part, it will respond to ponding at frozen or blocked catch basins with its boiler trucks and clearing equipment. At this point, the forecast is for temperatures just above zero and then below zero overnight, which should mean a slow melt, meaning the snow piles along the curbs will melt slowly into the catch basins, without collecting into large ponds. Most ponding around catch basins is caused by ice blocking the drains, so crews are defrosting them and clearing gutters to improve drainage, keeping a watch on intersections that are prone to flooding.

Workers will also be patching potholes and maintaining the gravel cover on utility cuts that start to sink during the melting. The City is asking residents to clear snow, ice and debris from the catch basins in your area once temperatures are above freezing.

The City of Saskatoon’s list of things residents can do to help:

-Clear snow and ice from sidewalks and paths to reduce ponding and dangerous ice during the thaw/freeze cycle.
-Keep snow in your yard. If you throw it on the street, it can create rutting issues or affect drainage.
-Safely clear snow, ice and debris from the catch basins in your area once temperatures are above freezing.
-Create an opening for drainage from your back yard to the back lane if there is a snow pile along your back yard.
-Report a location where water is collecting and impacting traffic, crosswalks on busy streets, or private property to our Customer Care Centre at 306-975-2476.

If the snow melts quickly, your home or property may be at risk of flooding, even if you haven’t flooded before. We hope that doesn’t happen, but just to be safe, please check out our tips to help reduce your risk of a snowmelt flood in your home at saskatoon.ca/snowmelt.