Cleanup on Regina streets continuing after heavy rainfall

Water slowly receded on most Regina streets Tuesday after a significant rainstorm hit the city.

City officials say 40 to 60 millimetres of rain fell in Regina after midnight, which caused flooding on some roads and in some neighbourhoods.

As of 4 p.m., Ring Road was closed at Ross Avenue.

Northbound Ring Road was closed from Victoria Avenue, with northbound traffic being detoured onto Victoria. Southbound Ring Road was closed from McDonald Street, with southbound traffic being detoured onto McDonald Street.

The Dewdney Avenue and Winnipeg Street underpass was closed, as was the Victoria Avenue service road underpass.

The area that had the most issues throughout the day was Ring Road eastbound at Winnipeg Street. The rain caused that area to be closed because the storm water system was overwhelmed and wasn’t taking any water.

Kurtis Doney, the city’s director of water, waste and environment, suggested it’s uncommon for that specific area to face flooding issues.

City of Regina director of water, waste and environment Kurtis Doney provides an update on Regina’s response to a significant rainstorm on July 19, 2022. (Shane Clausing/980 CJME)

“We’re investigating to see why it’s flooded this time. Whether it’s infrastructure concerns or construction in the area, we’re still investigating in that one,” Doney said.

While there was flooding in some major intersections, Doney says the city was able to keep vehicles from driving through any potential problem areas such as underpasses.

“We adjusted our tactics slightly,” he said. “You may have seen graders at the Albert Street bypass (north of Saskatchewan Drive) … This time it worked … and nobody was stuck under the Albert Street bypass.”

Now that most roads are cleared, the city’s crews have shifted their attention to clearing storm drains.

“This is going to take some time, and we’re asking citizens if it’s safe to do so to please go outside of your home and clear your storm drain,” he said. “(People should) prepare for the next rainstorm event that will come.”

He mentioned there are more than 22,000 storm drains the city deals with.

The city says it received between 100 and 125 calls regarding downed trees, sewer backups and flooded basements. It wasn’t made public about how much damage was done to some of those basements affected.

Doney said the rainfall event Regina saw could be considered something that happens once in every 10 to 25 years. Final data from the rainfall should be known in the coming days.