The flooding situation is beginning to ease in many areas, but the Saskatchewan Water Security Agency will be monitoring rain in the forecast later this week.

There are now 18 RMs, villages, First Nations and resort villages under a state of emergency.  That compares to 34 at the beginning of the weekend. Impacted RMs include Aberdeen, Big River, Buchanan, Invermay, St Louis, Wolverine, and the village of White Fox and the Sturgeon Lake First Nation.

Leah Clark with the Saskatchewan Water Security Agency says river flows are still significant in some east-central regions.

“Several stations continue to record discharges exceeding the normal range for this time of year.” They include Cricket Hill Creek near Canora, the Assiniboine River at Sturgis and Kamsack, and Whitesand River near Canora. She adds that flows in most areas of Red Deer River Basin are remaining steady or declining, except near Archerwill.

The Quill Lakes are continuing to rise slightly with showers in the forecast for Thursday causing additional concern.

The Ministry of Highways has hired a contractor to install a temporary bridge on Highway 165 over Smoothstone River. The bridge collapsed last Tuesday due to flooding caused by ice jams and culvert failure  The closure cut off road access to Pinehouse and impacted supply routes to two uranium mines.

The Water Security Agency is monitoring the weather forecast. It is calling for showers and rain on Thursday which could impact water flow.