Recent heavy rainfall has pushed the Bow River to higher-than-normal levels in Cochrane, prompting local fire officials to issue a high stream advisory.
“We are looking at a high stream advisory for both the Bow River and the Jumping Pound Creek basins,” says Cochrane Fire Chief Shawn Polley.
Polley explains the river flow recently peaked at nearly 300 cubic metres per second on June 21 and has now dropped to about 171. While that’s within seasonal average, the water remains fast and unpredictable.
“There’s a lot of debris floating in the river,” says Polley. “It’s cold, mountain-fed water and when the river’s up that high, it washes a lot of material off the banks.”
He urges residents to stay out of the water for now, especially as low visibility and fast currents can hide serious hazards beneath the surface.
“The water is quite chilly right now and it’s difficult to see what’s below, people may not realize what they’re getting into.”
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“Keep an eye on your pets,” says Polley. “If they get into trouble in the water, call 911 and don’t go in after them.”
He says the fire department’s water rescue team is ready to respond in emergencies but is not actively patrolling the river at this time.
Despite the high water, the rain has helped ease wildfire risks ahead of Canada Day celebrations.
“The fire danger rating is low and there are no restrictions right now,” says Polley. “We’re looking forward to the fireworks show and a safe holiday.”