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

snowfall

Edmonton weather: Heavy rainfall raises water level on North Saskatchewan River

Edmonton weather: Heavy rainfall raises water level on North Saskatchewan River

Welcome news as some areas in the province deal with flooding and high water levels. The City of Edmonton sent a public service announcement on Tuesday warning people to “exercise extreme caution around the North Saskatchewan River and its tributaries.” “Due to the continuous rain, the river, as well as shorelines and trails directly near the river, may be unsafe,” said the announcement. “Edmontonians may expect high water levels and increased current flow in the coming days. This may cause some flooding in areas running along the North Saskatchewan River and other natural waterways.”

It's been 10 years since the Big Flood. How the changing climate is shaping life in Calgary

It's been 10 years since the Big Flood. How the changing climate is shaping life in Calgary

In the decade since the Big Flood of 2013, Calgary has seen a number of extreme weather events and scorching, smoky summer days. Four Calgary disasters are included in the Insurance Bureau of Canada's Top 10 list of costliest years for insured losses in Canada — three since the flood, the fourth occurring the year before. The past decade has seen a surprise September snowfall in 2014, a devastating hailstorm in 2020 that resulted in $1.2 billion in damages, and a sweltering and deadly heat dome in the summer of 2021. A number of "catastrophic" weather events have been recorded in almost every year since June 2013, resulting in billions of dollars in damages. 

Pumping Mississippi River water west: solution or pipe dream?

Pumping Mississippi River water west: solution or pipe dream?

Waves of torrential rainfall drenched California into the new year. Snowpacks in the Sierra Nevada Mountains have swelled to more than 200% their normal size, and snowfall across the rest of the Colorado River Basin is trending above average, too. While the much-needed water has improved conditions in the parched West, experts warn against claiming victory. About 60% of the region remains in some form of drought, continuing a decades-long spiral into water scarcity.

California snowfall good news for drought-stricken state

California snowfall good news for drought-stricken state

The snowpack covering California's mountains is off to one of its best starts in 40 years, officials announced Tuesday, raising hopes that the drought-stricken state could soon see relief in the spring when the snow melts and begins to refill parched reservoirs. Roughly a third of California's water each year comes from melted snow in the Sierra Nevada, a mountain range that covers the eastern part of the state. The state has built a complex system of canals and dams to capture that water and store it in huge reservoirs so it can be used the rest of the year when it doesn't rain or snow.

Fort Simpson waits anxiously for spring melt as N.W.T. gov't warns of flood risk

Fort Simpson waits anxiously for spring melt as N.W.T. gov't warns of flood risk

The mayor of Fort Simpson, N.W.T. said he is feeling trepidation as May approaches, after the community dealt with devastating flooding that time last year. Sean Whelly said the combination of snowfall and water levels, plus a late spring is raising anxieties in the town. "We've been warned by the territorial government that we're at high risk to experience some flooding again this year, so we're concerned," he said.

Slow spring melt leads to improved Manitoba flood outlook

Slow spring melt leads to improved Manitoba flood outlook

Manitoba's flood forecaster has downgraded the province's risk of a major flood due to the slow spring melt for the second time in two weeks. The weather the past two weeks has been "very favourable," with no major precipitation and temperatures near 0 C, and it's expected to remain that way into the first week of April, said Fisaha Unduche, executive director of hydrologic forecasting and water management with Manitoba Transportation and Infrastructure.

Massive snowfall needed this winter after summer of drought: Manitoba infrastructure minister

Massive snowfall needed this winter after summer of drought: Manitoba infrastructure minister

Manitoba's extremely dry summer and unseasonably warm fall have led to historic lows for river and lake levels across the province. And that could mean trouble come spring — unless the province gets an enormous snowfall this winter, Infrastructure Minister Ron Schuler says. "We haven't seen something like this since the 1930s, so we are very concerned," Schuler told host Shannah-Lee Vidal in a Friday interview on CBC's Radio Noon.

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