Work is continuing to reinforce the dikes around the Portage Diversion to address concerns. Close to 100 military personnel are assisting provincial crews at these sites to place geotextile material and sandbags, and heavy equipment is supporting their efforts. The dikes have stabilized and will continue to be monitored around the clock while high-flow rates continue. Any concerns will be quickly addressed and repaired. As a precaution, nine additional mandatory evacuation notices were issued by the RM of Portage la Prairie around the diversion dikes, bringing the number to 15.
Monitoring, sandbagging and reinforcement work along the Assiniboine River dikes is also continuing. Over the past two weeks, there has been significant work to reinforce and strengthen the Assiniboine River dikes. Up to 70,000 to 150,000 sandbags a day were placed along sections of the dikes. Approximately nine military and civil helicopters were lifting sandbags into isolated areas of the dikes including two heavy lift helicopters from B.C. Approximately 20 pieces of heavy equipment, 35 provincial staff, over 1,000 Canadian Forces personnel and over a million sandbags went into supporting the Assiniboine River dikes. The dikes are stable and conditions have improved significantly over the past week.
The controlled release point at the Hoop and Holler Bend on the Assiniboine River is diverting approximately 400 cubic feet per second (cfs). As of this morning, the flooded area covered 3.42 square kilometres. Water continues to move east to the Elm River and eventually to the La Salle River.
On May 14, the day the controlled release was activated, inflows at the Portage Reservoir reached 52,300 cfs and the river downstream of the controlled release was at 18,000 cfs, the maximum flows it could handle at that time. This required at least 300 cfs to be removed off the diversion channel as the new, temporary capacity of the channel is a maximum of 34,000 cfs.
Evacuations
The Manitoba Association of Native Firefighters (MANFF) has co-ordinated the evacuation of an additional 43 Long Plain First Nation residents as a precaution due to high levels on the Assiniboine River. So far, 96 people have been evacuated from the community.
MANFF has also co-ordinated the evacuation of five additional people from the Dauphin River First Nation due to loss of safe road access. So far, 69 people have been evacuated from the community.
MANFF has co-ordinated the evacuation of 163 more people from the Lake St. Martin First Nation, bringing the total number of people evacuated from that community to 587.
So far, 1,236 evacuees from the Red River valley have returned home, while 95 evacuees are still out of their homes.
There are currently 3,360 Manitobans evacuated from their homes, with 1,391 evacuated on a precautionary basis in Brandon.
Lakes
In the Delta Beach, Twin Beaches and St. Laurent areas, there are more than 275 local volunteers, approximately 100 Canadian Forces soldiers, about 50 Manitoba government employees and municipal crews supporting sandbagging efforts.
Approximately 365,000 sandbags have been sent into the area. There are two sandbagging machine working in the area.
Large flood-barrier tubes (Aquadams) and smaller flood-barrier tubes (Tiger Tubes) along with one support trailer have been sent to the area. Flood-barrier tubes are being redeployed from other areas where flooding has subsided. The Manitoba Emergency Measures Organization mobile command centre is set up in the region.
The road to Twin Beaches is being maintained by adding gravel on a regular basis.
Dikes are being constructed at Lake St. Martin by provincial crews and members of the community. The provincial government has hired 16 community members to work directly with provincial crews. Two backhoes, one grader and their operators have also been hired from the First Nation and five additional community members are employed with two contractors that are working on the project. The province is also providing assistance at the Little Saskatchewan First Nation where a dike is being constructed by the community and the federal government.
Other areas
Government staff continue to call affected property owners in the controlled and uncontrolled release zones and in the Lake Manitoba area to provide information and updates about the flooding situation. As of today, approximately 2,400 calls have been made.
There are over 1,600 Canadian Forces personnel helping with flood-fighting efforts in Manitoba. Currently there are approximately 1,300 regular army, 130 navy, 70 air force and 200 army reserve personnel on flood duty.
Disaster Financial Assistance
The disaster financial assistance (DFA) program provides assistance to help homeowners, tenants, farmers, small business owners, non-profit organizations and municipal governments to restore property after a disaster. Information is available at www.manitoba.ca/flooding/dfa.
So far, 237 private applications have been received, 185 of which are being processed. There have been 84 municipal claims filed. Property owners should take pictures of damages, save receipts for repairs to their property, keep an inventory of anything they throw out or dispose of, and contact their insurance company as well as DFA.
A special, comprehensive program is being finalized for homeowners and producers affected by the controlled release along the Assiniboine River dikes.
Flood Forecast Summary
Flood warnings are in effect for the Assiniboine River at all points downstream of the Shellmouth Dam; Pipestone Creek, all reaches; Oak Lake and Plum Lakes, Plum Creek to the Souris River (including the town of Souris); and the Qu’Appelle River in the St-Lazare area.
High water advisories are in effect for all major lakes in Manitoba and the Souris River from Melita and all downstream reaches.
An unstable weather system is developing in North Dakota and Montana and may bring between 20 to 40 millimetres of precipitation to the upper portion of the Souris River basin. Forecasters are determining the impacts of this rain on Souris River water levels.
Assiniboine River
Flows out of the controlled release will be maintained at around 400 cfs today, depending on conditions of the Assiniboine River dikes and Portage Diversion channel. Flows from the release are generally pooling in an area east of Mile Road 33W, then flowing into the Elm River. Flows are expected to travel down the Elm River with some localized flooding in adjacent areas.
Water levels on the Shellmouth Reservoir are 1,413.70 ft., decreasing 0.17 ft. since yesterday. Inflow into the Shellmouth Reservoir is 8,300 cfs, and outflow is 9,530 cfs today. The Shellmouth Reservoir dam will be operated to keep outflows around or below 10,000 cfs today and for the next few days.
Water levels on the Assiniboine River at the First Street Bridge in Brandon are 1,181.28 ft., decreasing 0.40 ft. since yesterday. Flows at the First Street Bridge in Brandon were 32,200 cfs, measured this morning. It is estimated that flows on the Assiniboine River at Brandon will remain above 20,000 cfs until the end of the month.
Inflow upstream of Portage la Prairie is 51,450 cfs. Flows in the Portage Diversion channel at noon today were at 33,160 cfs. Flows on the Assiniboine River at the Portage Reservoir control gates are 18,290 cfs.
Flows into the Portage Reservoir crested twice, once on May 14 at 52,300 cfs and again on May 18 at 52,000 cfs. Flows are expected to fall by approximately 1,000 cfs per day over the next few days.
Lakes
Dauphin Lake has reached a record water level and is forecast to continue rising.
Water levels on Oak Lake are high and water continues to overtop dikes by as much as two ft. in some places. Plum Lake, located downstream of Oak Lake, is also experiencing high lake levels and continues to contribute high flows to Plum Creek.
The forecast peak for Lake Manitoba is 815.8 ft. The forecast peak for Lake St. Martin is 805.2 ft.
Due to high water levels, Manitoba Water Stewardship has created inundation maps illustrating the forecast high water levels for all areas around Lake Manitoba and Lake St. Martin and is developing maps for the south basin of Lake Winnipeg and for Dauphin Lake.
Souris River
Water levels at Melita are 1,409.66 ft. today, increasing by 0.28 ft. since yesterday.
Water levels at Oak Lake are 1,412.27 ft. Water levels on Plum Creek are 1,376.86 ft. today. These high flows will continue and be sustained for a significant period of time due to the high levels of the Plum and Oak lakes.
Water levels on the Souris River at Wawanesa decreased 0.06 ft. since yesterday to 1,155.87 ft. today.
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.
