City report concludes no action will be taken to warn drivers about flooding during rain storms
A report written and reviewed by Saskatoon Water and the Transportation Department for the city found that no further actions will be made for creating a warning system for drivers when flooding on roads, caused by heavy rain storms.
According to the report, on June 20, 2022, the city saw upwards of 75 millimeters of rain in some areas of the city within one hour. The heavy rain caused many cars to become stuck in underpasses and classes were even canceled at Chief Whitecap School, leaving parents to pick up their children in knee-deep water.
“We wanted to make sure our infrastructure was functioning as efficiently as possible, if not, to make a plan to fix those efficiencies,” said stormwater utility manager Mitch McMann.
In response to the rain storm, inspections were completed on over 10 kilometers of the storm sewer infrastructure system. It found pipes had anywhere from five to 50 per cent of debris inside.
“Debris from the streets gets into those curb and gutters will sometimes become lodged or within those pipes so it’s a known issue,” McMann said.
Some of the research options listed in the report were based on a city council request from June 27, 2022. They include considering three different system options for drivers to be aware in certain areas, including stand alone detection, a traffic camera and an integrated system.
To install these systems at the intersection of Circle Drive under Taylor Street East would cost anywhere from $9,000 for the traffic camera alone, to $43,000 for the stand alone detection and warning system.
In reference to the transportation signaling review, the report concluded no further action will be taken.
“An optional budget request could be provided for consideration during the 2024-2025 multi-year budget process for the installation of integrated warning and detection systems at 10 locations,” the report concluded.
During the flooding, the Saskatoon Fire Department (SFD) attended five locations to help drivers out of their stalled vehicles.
SFD also attended three calls for downed power lines and three property flooding concerns.
“Saskatoon EMO always encourages motorists to be prepared for extreme weather and drive to the current conditions based on their own safety and risk assessment,” acting fire chief Anthony Tataryn told CTV News by email.
Correction
This story previous stated the report called on the City to create a warning system for flooding.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
EXCLUSIVE | Security increased for prime minister's advisers after break-and-enter incidents
Ottawa Police are investigating an attempted break-in at the residence of Prime Minister Justin Trudeau's national security adviser, the second such incident involving one of his top aides in recent months.

'Nova Scotians' sense of safety was rocked': RCMP failures dominate inquiry's final report into 2020 mass shooting
A long list of failures by Nova Scotia RCMP leadership and policing systems dominate the final report into Nova Scotia's April 2020 mass shooting.
Memes, ski etiquette and that missing GoPro video: Highlights from the Gwyneth Paltrow trial
When two skiers collided on a beginner run at an upscale Utah ski resort in 2016, no one could foresee that seven years later, the crash would become the subject of a closely watched celebrity trial.
Research points to common infections as cause of liver disease outbreak in kids
Scientists think they may have pinpointed the cause of a mysterious outbreak of liver disease that affected children worldwide last year.
House abandoned by couple who 'disappeared' years ago nightmare for neighbour on upscale street
A Toronto man, whose neighbours vanished eight years ago and left their home completely abandoned, said he's fed up living next door to a property that is in complete disarray.
UCP candidate, slammed for comments on pornography in schools, quits
A candidate for the United Conservative Party in southern Alberta has resigned after she posted a video claiming children are being exposed to pornography in schools.
Here's how to know if someone is struggling with a video game addiction: Expert
A scientist at CAMH says video games have similar addictive features to gambling which cause social isolation of the individual and dependency on the activity.
'No question there need to be changes': PM responds to Nova Scotia mass shooting commission report
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau offered a brief initial response to the final report from the Mass Casualty Commission (MCC) into Canada's worst mass shooting, which claimed the lives of 22 people in Nova Scotia in 2020. Vowing changes will come, here's what Trudeau said in Truro, N.S.
TREND LINE | Poilievre surpasses Trudeau when it comes to preferred prime minister: Nanos
The federal Liberals are trending downward on three key measures while Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre has surpassed Prime Minister Justin Trudeau when it comes to the question of who Canadians would prefer now as their prime minister, according to Nanos Research.