Warm temperatures this weekend could prove disastrous for some Saskatchewan communities.
The provincial government held a flood update this morning where officials say they will be anxiously watching to see how high the mercury climbs.
Right now, a total of nine communities have declared a state of emergency because of the water.
The Water Security Agency’s Patrick Boyle says this is the latest spring thaw on record.
He explains the situation is becoming more complex because things are no longer freezing at night.
For now, they believe the major ice jams are over but are not sure how high the Saskatchewan River will rise.
The government says Hwy 6, south of Choiceland, has been closed and some outfitter’s operations have been impacted at Tobin Lake.
Boyle says Cumberland House will also feel the surge in the days to come.
“Yeah, it’s going to rise downstream there to Cumberland House,” he says “The spill that was initiated at E.B. Campbell (dam) on Tobin Lake – it will affect the river down to Cumberland House and it will see a rise there.”
Seventy-three people have been evacuated from the Poundmaker reserve, although the water has receded somewhat.
Meanwhile, things remain unchanged at Onion Lake.
Two hundred people are still on standby and a shelter has been set up in Lloydminster to house them if need-be.
The Sakimay First Nation also remains in a state of emergency and officials say they are keeping a close eye on Beardy’s Okemasis as well.
Portable barriers are also being brought in to help protect the community of Red Earth.
Officials with the province say flows from the Carrot River are expected to rise due to the spring thaw.
Duane Mckay is the emergency management commissioner for the province and he says the barriers will be deployed near the First Nation.
“They’ve requested Hesco barriers which is a large four-foot-four (barrier) and continues on for whatever length you want to put in and we’re deploying some of that along the riverbank,” he says.