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Heavy rainfall makes bodies of water dangerous: Olds officials

Olds town officials are asking all residents and visitors to stay away from storm ponds due to high water levels brought on by this week's heavy rainfall
MVT aerial Winter Lake
An aerial view of the stormwater retention pond in the Winter Lake area of Olds. Town officials are asking all residents and visitors to stay away from Winter Lake and all other storm ponds located in the community due to high water levels brought on by all the rain this week. File photo/MVP Staff

OLDS — Town officials are asking all residents and visitors to stay away from Winter Lake and all other storm ponds located in the community due to high water levels brought on by all the rain this week. 

“Please warn children to keep a safe distance from all bodies of water,” reads a portion of a town news release issued Tuesday under the name of chief administrative officer Brent Williams.

“The current rain event we are experiencing is pushing water levels up higher than normal and may cause areas around the ponds to flood, depending on storm surges.” 

Williams was asked by the Albertan if the municipality has received any reports of children – or adults – getting into or too close to bodies of water in the community. 

Not so far, he indicated.  

He said the release was issued just as a precautionary announcement to generate awareness about the potential danger posed by those rising waters. 

“Hopefully, they don’t generally play in there. But there’s just a higher risk for injury or incidents because of the shorelines being changed by the high water flow,” he said. 

“So, just a reminder for people to stay away from them, more or less," he said, adding there has so far been “Nothing of concern – yet.” 

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