The Red River Floodway was operated yesterday morning at approximately 9:30am to lower water levels in the city of Winnipeg. The operation will continue for seven to 10 days depending on weather conditions and is being carried out under Rule One for floodway operations, meaning river levels will be held below the state of nature upstream or south of the floodway gates. As the Red River will remain within its banks, properties and homes both upstream and downstream of the floodway inlet are not expected to be affected by higher Red River flows. The flow upstream of the Red River floodway inlet control structure is currently 32,300 cubic feet per second (cfs) and the flow in the floodway channel is 300 cfs.
Water has damaged one of the bridge supports on the PR 251 bridge over the Souris River at Coulter in the RM of Arthur. The road and bridge are now closed.
The bridge crossing the Souris River at PTH 3 in Melita has had some erosion around one of the supports and has been closed as a precaution.
Dikes along the Souris River at Melita, Hartney, Souris and Wawanesa are being monitored and maintained over the next week as the Souris River has crested in Manitoba.
Work is nearly complete on the dike at Ralls Island on the Saskatchewan River in The Pas. Additional work is nearly complete on properties along the Saskatchewan River on the Opaskwayak Cree Nation and along the Carrot River.
The extended period of high water levels also mean extra caution is advised when swimming or boating. In addition to the high water hiding hazards, the spring flooding may have made riverbanks unstable. The current in many lakes and rivers could be much stronger than normal so extra caution is advised.
Flood waters should be considered contaminated and anyone working around them should take precautions, particularly when addressing basement flooding. Rubber boots, coveralls and protective gloves are recommended. Water may be ground seepage or it may be river water which has been contaminated by sewage. Avoid touching eyes and mouth after hands have been in flood water. Wash hands well with warm water and soap, especially before eating. Information about mould and cleaning up after flooding can be found at www.gov.mb.ca/flooding/factsheets.html.
The scale, scope and ongoing nature of this year’s flood can be very challenging for affected Manitoba families. There are resources to help deal with stress and anxiety which result from a crisis situation such as this flood. Resources include Manitoba Farm and Rural Support Services 1-866-367-3276 (1-866-FOR-FARM) (toll-free); Klinic Community Health Centre 24-hour crisis line 786-8686 in Winnipeg or 1-888-322-3019 (toll-free); and Health Links-Info Santé which can help find resources through local regional health authorities or community mental-health services offices at 788-8200 in Winnipeg or 1-888-315-9257 (toll-free). Additional information and tips are available at www.gov.mb.ca/flooding/stressinfo.html.
Flood Forecast Summary
Souris River
The Souris River has crested in Manitoba.
The Plum Creek at Souris decreased 0.41 ft. since yesterday to 1,372.99 ft. A flood warning for all reaches of Pipestone Creek and downstream into the Oak and Plum Lake system and on Plum Creek to the Souris River including the town of Souris remains in effect.
Assiniboine River
Inflow upstream of Portage la Prairie is rising in response to the large flows from the Souris River basin. The inflow into Portage la Prairie is forecast to reach 41,000 to 42,000 cfs between July 8 and 10.
The Shellmouth Reservoir was not operated yesterday, but will be today to increase the conduit outflow by 600 cfs. The current outflow from the Shellmouth Reservoir consists of the conduit at 2,700 cfs and the spillway at 80 cfs, which totals 2,780 cfs total outflow.
Red River
Water levels on the Red River at James Avenue in Winnipeg have increased by 0.07 ft. since yesterday to 17.62 ft. Flows at James Avenue this morning were approximately 50,500 cfs. The Red River is still rising but will stay within its banks.
Elevations at the floodway inlet are expected to peak at 752.4 to 753 ft. between July 10 and 12. James Avenue water levels will stabilize later this afternoon and gradually decline.
Saskatchewan and Carrot Rivers
Water levels on the Saskatchewan River at The Pas increased 0.08 ft. since yesterday to 856.58 ft., with a flow of 80,750 cfs. Due to the favourable weather experienced over the past two weeks, the flood potential at The Pas has been significantly diminished. The forecast peak water levels at The Pas are now expected to be in the range of 857.25 to 857.75 ft. with the peak occurring between July 9 and 15. The water levels are forecast to steadily increase from the current water levels to reach the forecast peak.
The forecast peak water levels on the Carrot River will be affected by the peak water level on the Saskatchewan River, from the downstream end of the Carrot River to about Mile 18. The forecast peak water levels in that portion of the Carrot River are 857.9 to 858.4 ft., expected to occur between July 7 and 11. Upstream of Mile 18, the forecast peak is expected to be several feet below the spring peak in April.
Lakes
The wind-eliminated forecasted levels for the lakes are as follows and are weather dependant:
• Lake Winnipeg: 717 ft. around mid-July. (Source: Manitoba Hydro)
• Lake Winnipegosis: between 835 and 835.5 ft.
• Lake Pineimuta: between 809.3 and 809.6 ft. around the end of July.
• Lake Manitoba: between 817.7 and 817.8 ft. around the end of July.
• Lake St. Martin: between 806.3 and 806.4 ft. around mid-August.
• Dauphin Lake: peaked at 860 ft. between June 18 and 21.
For more information, see www.manitoba.ca/flooding. The most up-to-date highway information is at www.gov.mb.ca/mit/roadinfo or 1-877-MBRoads (1-877-627-6237) and on Twitter by following @MBGov.
