As a result of the Water Security Agency commencing a spillway release, The government of Saskatchewan is urging recreational boaters and the general public to heed safety signage and protective buoys surrounding the Gardiner Dam spillway at Lake Diefenbaker. Outflow is expected to accelerate through the weekend leading to potential total outflow of 900 m3/s.

According to the province, the high water levels and spillway release often attract the attention of recreational boaters, but there is both a personal and operational safety risk that could occur if boaters ignore safety signage and pass the protective log boom into the inlet channel.

This could potentially trigger a situation a vessel could physically not escape the current and be drawn into the spillway structure.

As of today (mon), the release of water from the spillway at Gardiner Dam will increase to a flow of 900 m3/s(cubic metres per second) which will be near channel capacity upstream of Saskatoon in the Pike and Moon Lake areas. The province started releasing water last Thursday due to high amounts of rain in southern Alberta last week. Water levels are expected to increase on average by about 0.9 metres but in some areas as much as 1.5 metres or five feet. Overland flooding is not expected.

Stream flows are also above normal along the North Saskatchewan River with peak flows expected to be near 1,500 m3/s with water levels similar to what was seen in late May. The peak was expected to reach the Alberta/ Saskatchewan boundary Sunday, the Battlefords tomorrow and Prince Albert on Friday. For residents living along these areas, the high flows pose a safety risk and high water levels could damage property and infrastructure.

The Water Security Agency is in the process of assessing the combined affects of the high water levels on the North and South Saskatchewan River systems beyond the Saskatchewan River Forks which is where the two rivers merge.