As Manitobans wait for the arrival of floodwaters this spring, the province is in a high state of readiness with its people, planning and positioning of more flood-fighting tools, Infrastructure and Transportation Minister Steve Ashton, minister responsible for emergency measures, announced.
“Compared to last spring, we now have five times the amount of temporary flood barriers available for rapid deployment to protect people and property in flood-prone areas across Manitoba,” said Ashton. “An additional 1,500 flood tube barriers, representing a $2-million investment, brings the total to more than 50,000 linear metres.”
The Manitoba Emergency Measures Organization (EMO) has contacted communities to ensure they are at the required state of readiness for this year’s flood potential. EMO held a flood forum on March 9 in Morris, with approximately 90 participants including elected officials, emergency co-ordinators and regional emergency advisors.
“Local emergency operation centres have made improvements based on lessons learned from last year’s flood experience and extensive training of municipal employees has been provided through EMO,” said Ashton.
At this time, forecasts anticipate a 2006 level flood, but the crests on the Red River this year are expected about two weeks earlier. As in 2006, it’s expected that some roads will need to be closed in southern Manitoba and some community ring dikes will need to be partially closed. However, no communities are expected to lose all road access.
The province and its local government partners have completed 26 kilometres of ice-cutting on the Red River from Selkirk north to Netley Marsh and so far about 17 km of that has been broken using the two Amphibex icebreakers. This work is designed to reduce the risk of flooding caused by ice jams, by helping the ice flow northward to Lake Winnipeg, the minister said.
Since the flood of 2009, the province and affected municipalities north of Winnipeg have worked in partnership to remove more than 60 homes from the most-vulnerable locations along the Red River. This action is an important component to a long-term flood protection plan north of Winnipeg and will go a long way in mitigating the danger of ice jams on people and emergency workers living in the area, Ashton said.
Substantial progress has been made on flood proofing the Red River Valley to 1997 flood levels, plus 0.6 metres (two feet) of freeboard for wave action. Over 1,730 or about 95 per cent of homes, businesses and farms in the Red River Valley are at the 1997-plus-two level of protection. Other flood-proofing measures include:
• achievement by the floodway expansion project of 1-in-700 year flood protection; and
• completion of ring-dike projects on Kingston Crescent, North Drive, Kilkenny Drive, Lord Avenue and Parkwood Place in Winnipeg.
“The potential for spring flooding is a fact of life in Manitoba and we must remain vigilant as individuals, communities and a province,” said Ashton. “Manitobans weathered the 2009 flood but once again lessons were learned and we are better prepared this year.”
