Saskatchewan struggles with massive spring flooding as snow finally melts

Widespread flooding in Saskatchewan is washing out roads and threatening homes as the snow melts.

Parts of northwest Saskatchewan are cut off due to flooding, including English River First Nation, where the only road into the community is covered by water.

Central Saskatchewan also has numerous areas of flooding. Highway 5 between Wadena and Canora is closed, as water has covered the road, and many other roads in the area have portions that are closed because they’re impassable.

Caitlyn Villeneuve farms in the Quill Lake area, about 150 kilometres east of Saskatoon.

“At first, I was quite shocked because when I heard that it was starting to flood, I actually didn’t quite believe it until I saw it,” she told Morning Edition host Adam Hunter on Monday.

“Then it was really surreal. I was like, ‘Oh my gosh.'”

Some roads in the Tisdale and Melfort areas were affected by flooding on the weekend.

Melfort-area resident Shelley Vanderbyl said she left to go to church Sunday morning and noticed some water on the road, but when she was heading home it was a lot worse.

“But now when I’ve come back, it’s washed out quite a bit. … It doesn’t look too safe,” she told CBC on Sunday.

WATCH | Melfort resident describes how quickly roads are being washed out:

Melfort, Sask., resident describes how quickly roads are being washed out by flooding

Spring flooding is washing out roads in many parts of Saskatchewan. Melfort resident Shelley Vanderbyl talks about the washed out roads in her area.

Up in the northwest, English River First Nation emergency management coordinator Candyce Paul said Highway 918, the only road into the community of Patuanak, closed on Friday after two days of water running over the road washed it out.

That left people trying to get home stranded, and cut the community off — again.

Last summer’s wildfire season caused road closures and evacuations, and is affecting the flooding.

“There’s no living trees and no root systems to hold this water back, so there’s a lot of water that is just flowing,” Paul said.

Road closures

Motorists should check the Highway Hotline for the most up-to-date information before they travel.

As of 11 a.m. CST, Highway 5 is affected by flooding for much of its length. At Watson, there’s water over the road just west of the town and a local detour is in place. 

Continuing east, speeds are reduced in two locations heading to Quill Lake due to water over the road. Then, the highway is closed for a 100-kilometre stretch from Wadena to Canmore.

Also in east-central Saskatchewan, flooding on Highway 49 west of the Kelvington turnoff has closed one of the lanes.

Highway 310 near Foam Lake is closed south of Highway 16 due to a washout.

There are numerous road closures in areas east of Prince Albert. Near Carrot River, Birch Road is closed due to flooding east of Highway 23. 

Near Armley, both Highway 35 and Highway 335 are closed due to water over the highway.

Just west of Choiceland, motorists are advised to reduce their speeds on Highway 55 due to water on the road.

North of Prince Albert, there’s water on Highway 2 south of Spruce Home. North of that, Highway 355 is closed in both directions where it meets Highway 2.

Highway 791 to Paddockwood also has water on the road and caution is advised.

Further north, Highway 916 is closed west of Highway 2 due to a washout.

Where Highway 936 meets Highway 2 there are are road closures due to a culvert washout.