Nicole Hancock
Indigenous community hosts full moon ceremony ...

Kristen Villebrun and Wendy Bush hoped they wouldn't have to pray for Chedoke Creek, but four years after they first raised alarm about the water's condition, they were part of an Indigenous full moon ceremony to do just that. About 50 people showed up near Princess Point on the dark and frigid Monday evening for the monthly ceremony, which was particularly special as it focused on Chedoke Creek. The body of water that runs into Cootes Paradise had about 24 billion litres of sewage and storm water runoff leak into it due to a gate being left open.

Indigenous community hosts full moon ceremony to heal Chedoke Creek

Saskatchewan Water Security Agency

Wetter than normal conditions expected as Sask. WSA releases freeze-up report

Wetter than normal conditions expected as Sask. WSA releases freeze-up report

It could be wetter than normal in the coming months for parts of Saskatchewan. However, Saskatchewan’s Water Security Agency (WSA) said Wednesday that even if there is an above-normal snowpack, the chance of an above-normal runoff is not likely. The agency said that is due to dry conditions at freeze-up. A minimal runoff last spring, followed by a mostly hot and dry summer, has left many agricultural areas of the province with drier than normal conditions. Conditions are driest in the Saskatoon area, extending out to Rosetown, Leader and the Maple Creek area.

Coronach, Sask., under 'do not use' water advisory after treatment plant break-in

Coronach, Sask., under 'do not use' water advisory after treatment plant break-in

Water treatment operators in Coronach, Sask., had an unwelcome surprise Monday morning when they found the town's water treatment plant had been broken into overnight. This meant the water reservoirs that serve the 650-person town may have been contaminated. The Saskatchewan Water Security Agency has put the town under a 'do not use' advisory. This means the tap water in Coronach should not be used for anything — not drinking, not showers, not even if it's boiled — until the advisory is lifted.

Research on Sask. rivers and streams used to predict floods and climate change

Research on Sask. rivers and streams used to predict floods and climate change

The public looks to Environment Canada to predict the weather in the sky but their work is also used to predict floods and climate change. Hydrometric technologist Cody Garbutt comes to Prince Albert every two months to collect data about the North Saskatchewan River. It’s one of 170 hydrological monitoring stations in Saskatchewan that are run by Environment and Climate Change Canada.

Spring runoff potential varies across Saskatchewan from well below normal to above normal

Spring runoff potential varies across Saskatchewan from well below normal to above normal

Most of southern Saskatchewan has the potential for a below to well below normal spring runoff, according to preliminary data released Friday by the Water Security Agency. The north, however, could experience a normal to above normal runoff. The WSA said it bases its estimates on a number of factors, including conditions at freeze-up and the snowpack. Most of the southern regions experienced very dry conditions last summer and into the fall, and the snowpack is near normal to below normal. The WSA says this projects to a below normal runoff for an area covering Prince Albert, Saskatoon and Melfort, dipping as far south as Maple Creek and Val Marie.


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