The Spring Runoff report has been released for 2023 by the Water Security Agency (WSA). The information gathered in the report is based on conditions as they were on March 1st of this year.

Patrick Boyle, Spokesperson with the WSA, said that Weyburn and the surrounding area is in the below normal category this year.

"There's probably been drier conditions the last couple of years leading up to that and into winter freeze-up here. Immediately west of Weyburn it gets into that well below normal area, but then if you are going north or east of Weyburn, it looks like based on the snowpack and the conditions going forward, it's near normal to above normal." 

Essentially, this Spring we shouldn't see any flooding issues in Weyburn and the surrounding area, Boyle said, unless conditions change going forward.

Boyle explained that the Spring Runoff forecast examines the moisture conditions and water in the landscape going into winter freeze-up, in other words how much water there is going into winter.

"Then we look at how much snowpack or snow we got during the winter season, so we've gone out and done some snow surveys where we measure the snow water equivalent, or how much water is in that snow. That helps us calculate what the reaction will be on the landscape as that melts and then runs off."

The caveat to all this, Boyle shared, is that, "We still could have a number of weeks of winter left and you get more snowfall there. So that can change the picture a little bit."

One snowfall event isn't going to typically move the needle, but Boyle said, "You get a few of those Spring snow events or it turns into rain where it's wet, heavy snow, and that can change the runoff forecast here going forward."

But as of today, Boyle added that if we have a normal Spring, it's looking to be in the below normal category for Weyburn and area.

The WSA monitors conditions throughout the Spring melt and provides updates. The next Spring runoff forecast will be issued in early April. 

You can read the Spring Runoff Report HERE.