La Ronge dam at risk of failing after heavy rains: Sask. Water Security Agency

Saskatchewan's Water Security Agencysays the La Ronge dam is at risk of failing.

The province said heavy rains of up to 40 millimetres over theJuly 25-26 weekend raised the water level on the lake close to the top of 3.5-metredam.

That's moved the dam's classification from a"hazardous condition" to a "potential dam failure classification," the agency said in a Wednesday news release.

Sandbags have been put on the top of the dam to give it an extra half-metre of height.

"The dam is not in imminent danger of failing," the agency said, but the water level isapproaching the minimum recommended freeboard, or distance between the water level and the top of the structure.

A dam failure would impact the amount of water flowing into the already floodingChurchill River system.

"This could increase flood peaks," said the province in its news release."More analysis is being done to understand what the impact on current downstream water flows would be if the dam were to fail."

The WSA saidit will be working with communities in low-lying areas which could be impacted by rising water levels.