Flood Watch | District of Invermere Area May 28, 2026

The BC River Forecast Centre has issued a Flood Watch for the East Kootenay region, including the Upper Columbia and its tributaries around Fairmont Hot Springs and surrounding areas. This means river levels are rising and may approach or exceed bankfull. Flooding of areas adjacent to affected rivers is possible.

What is happening

Warmer temperatures over the past several days have accelerated snowmelt and raised river levels across the region. A weather system moving in from the US northwest is expected to bring moderate to heavy rainfall beginning Friday evening and continuing through Monday and into Tuesday. Rainfall totals of 50 to 100+ mm are possible in the East Kootenay and Upper Columbia areas. River levels are expected to remain high late Friday through the weekend.

Self-Fill Sandbag Station

A self-fill sandbag station is available at the Windermere Fire Hall at no charge. Please take only what you need so supply remains available for all residents.

What this means locally

Residents near rivers, creeks, and low-lying areas should monitor conditions closely and be prepared to act quickly. Please remember to stay away from rivers and riverbanks, never drive through floodwater as hidden hazards and strong currents can be life-threatening, and move valuables to higher ground if you are in a flood-prone area.

Road Conditions

The Ministry of Transportation and Transit has resources ready to respond if local roads or highways are impacted. For the latest on road conditions visit drivebc.ca.

Emergency Operations

The Regional Emergency Operations Centre has been activated. The RDEK Flood Response Unit is monitoring conditions and local emergency program personnel are in regular contact with the BC River Forecast Centre and Environment Canada.

If you see widespread flooding call the 24-hour emergency reporting line at 250-489-9677. This line is for emergencies only.

Sign Up for Emergency Notifications

Anyone who has not yet registered for the regional Evacuation Notification System is urged to do so now. Residents of Invermere will still receive Voyent Alert notifications, but we strongly encourage everyone to register for the full regional system. Instructions are available at rdek.bc.ca.

For flood preparedness information visit PreparedBC. Questions? Contact us at info@invermere.net or 250-342-9281.