Flood warnings west of Calgary as residents urged to stay off Bow, Elbow rivers
Posted Jun 29, 2026 10:47 am.
Last Updated Jun 29, 2026 12:59 pm.
Heavy rain has triggered new flood warnings and evacuation alerts west of Calgary while officials in the city caution residents to stay off of the Bow and Elbow rivers.
Alberta Rivers has escalated its flood watch to a flood warning for the Elbow River through Kananaskis and the Bragg Creek area.
Emergency crews are helping evacuate campgrounds, monitoring damage and keeping roads closed where needed. People already in the area are being told to stay put, and visitors should delay travel until conditions improve.
William Watson Lodge is open as a temporary safe shelter. No injuries have been reported.
Meteorologist Kevin Stanfield says water levels along the Elbow have risen from 0.8 metres to nearly three metres since the weekend.
“This is along the Elbow River near Bragg Creek,” says Stanfield. “Currently sections of the Bow River are also facing a high-streamflow advisory though at this time no impacts in Calgary are expected.”
Uncertainty about how much more water will arrive has crews to activating run-off operations at the Springbank Reservoir, while extra room has been created at the Glenmore Reservoir to capture runoff from the Elbow.
“The biggest development is that the Springbank Off-Stream Reservoir was activated for the very first time early this morning,” said Calgary mayor Jeromy Farkas. “It’s capturing higher than expected runoff from the Upper Elbow watershed, exactly what it was built to do.”
The dam in Rocky View County was built to take in excess water that’s diverted when the Elbow River reaches dangerous levels. The water would then be released once its safe to do so.
In Canmore, several creeks running through the town and into the Bow River have become unstable, prompting evacuation alerts for neighbourhoods including Palliser Trail, Stonecreek Road, and Eagle Landing.
Town officials say residents should be ready to leave at a moment’s notice as banks along the creeks continue to shift.
Calgarians warned to stay off Bow and Elbow Rivers
In Calgary, the Fire Department says no one should boat, float, or swim in the Bow or Elbow Rivers. Heavy rain has pushed water levels far above safe limits, and dangerous conditions are expected to last through Canada Day.
Farkas says there is no risk of overland flooding in Calgary, but low‑lying pathways are already closed and more closures are expected. The city is urging residents to keep children and pets away from fast‑moving water and watch for submerged areas along river pathways.
A rainfall warning has been lifted for Calgary. Environment Canada said a total of 50 and 100 millimetres of rain was expected before conditions start to taper off late Monday.
Environment Canada’s Justin Patten says periods of rain will give way to thunderstorms and more scattered showers through the day, with improvements expected Tuesday morning.
With files from The Canadian Press
