Calgary crews brace for big melt as weather warms

After weeks of bitter cold and bitter comments, warmer weather is sweeping into Calgary, bringing with it the potential for some serious traffic issues.

The City of Calgary is bracing itself for a big melt, and staff are ramping up their precautionary measures to keep storm drains free of ice and snow and prevent flooding or dangerous water accumulation.

The city is deploying approximately 18 city crews daily to keep Calgary's roughly 60,000 storm drains clear.

"Getting to them all is an impossibility, so we prioritize them and get to the ones we know to be a little more troublesome in conditions like these," said Chris Huston with the city's water services.

Chris Huston explains Calgary's game plan ahead of big melt

8 years ago

Duration 4:27

After weeks of bitter cold and bitter comments, warmer weather is sweeping into Calgary, bringing with it the potential for some serious traffic issues.

These so-called "hot spots" include major roadways, underpasses, schools, seniors' facilities andhigh-speed areas, Huston told CBC Calgary News at 6.

Boiler and 'vacuum' trucks at the ready

The city is particularly concerned about storm drain pipes that could freezesolid.

While the pipes themselves generally sit dry, the frozen ground surrounding themkeeps the pipes at subzero temperatures.

"As soon as water starts to run across them, that water turns to ice. It doesn't take long for those to actually build up enough ice to block the pipe," Huston said.

The city cautions homeowners against salting their storm drains or pipes, and says it is equipped with boiler trucks that can blast through the ice with high-pressure steam.

Huston said the cityalso has"huge vacuum trucks" that can suck up pooling water and haul it away, so that boiler trucks can follow up and clear the pipes.

If residents notice problem areas with pooling water, backed up storm drains or severe ice, they should call 3-1-1.

The city says homeowners can do their partby keeping their storm drains clear.

It also encourages residents to salt their sidewalks at night instead of in the morning, since ice is more likely to form overnight as temperatures drop.

With files from CBC Calgary News at 6