It's been nearly a year since an ice jam east of Carman caused some serious flooding in town and forced a State of Emergency. It was the first week in April 2017 when the swollen Boyne River that runs through town threatened some homes while over-running local roadways.
    
Matt Gray, Chair of the Protective Services committee, says the situation looks to be quite different this spring and the risk of overland flooding remains low.

Washed-out roads in the R.M. of Dufferin even forced school cancellations last spring

"I think this year compared to last year there's not as many concerns in a sense that we haven't really had the snowfall that we had last year, as well as we haven't had the water run-off which caused all of the ice damming last year."

It's also turning out to be a much different spring than what the R.M. of Dufferin experienced in 2017.

A State of Emergency was also issued for the municipality that first weekend in April as heavy spring run-off suddenly inundated ditches and threatened to wash out some rural roads. Most of the flooding was caused by a repeated thaw/freeze cycle that allowed ice to build up in culverts and back-up the flow of water.
    
Foreman, Rodney Last, says he isn't too concerned as temperatures start to rise and melt what little snow there is.

"We went into a dry winter as the last fall was exceptionally dry, and with a lack of snowfall over the winter I don't foresee any excessive moisture this spring."

Meantime, Scott Kehler, a meteorologist with Weatherlogics, says there is potential for a significant storm - possibly a Colorado Low - to hit the region next weekend.

Neither Last or Gray is worried about the accompanying precipitation and what it will do to the low flood-risk.