The first detailed Sask Water forecast of the year suggests a flood-free spring throughout the province due to a winter of below normal snowfall.

"Well below normal run-off is anticipated. We're expecting next to nothing, really," said Alex Banga, hydrologist for Sask Water. "For more run-off to occur, we'd have to receive more snow and precipitation. Levels are very low in Souris River Basin, with Carlyle having a little more."

Banga says reservoirs and dugouts are in good shape because of the spring run-off of 1999, but the water supply would become a concern if there was no run-off in 2001.

Well below normal run-off is anticipated for all regions of Saskatchewan except the northeast, where near normal run-off is predicted. As a result, no flooding is expected in the province this spring.

City engineer Bob Kinash says the ice is in very dangerous condition on the Souris River, but he's not expecting any type of major flow on the river unless there is more precipitation.

"We do expect the reservoir to fill, mainly because it already was almost full," said Kinash. "The water supply for the city should be in excellent shape for at least another year."

According to the Sask Water forecast, soil moisture conditions for the Weyburn area classify as well below normal. Conditions vary across the grain belt, with soil moisture good to very good in areas between Meadow Lake and Prince Albert and east of the line between the Quill Lakes and Indian Head to Oxbow. However, soil moisture across the remainder of the grain belt is assessed to be below normal to well below normal.

Despite the prospect of a limited spring run-off throughout much of the grain belt, most lakes and reservoirs are expected to reach normal or near normal levels later this year.

The Sask Water forecast is based on soil moisture, current snowpack conditions and a projection of normal precipitation and temperatures for the balance of the winter and spring.