News - Flooding

Another five to 10 centimetres of snow fell during the last 24 hours, adding up to a total of 20 cm in eastern portions of the Red River watershed and 10 cm in western portions.

The ice jam on the Red River located near Lockport broke up at 8 a.m. today and has started to move.

Officials of the Manitoba Emergency Measures Organization, Manitoba Water Stewardship, the Office of the Fire Commissioner and Manitoba Conservation are working closely with the rural municipalities of St. Andrews, West St. Paul, St. Clements and East St. Paul to deal with ice jams and resulting flooding.

As a result of the recently announced increased risk of flooding in Manitoba, the province’s Financial Institutions Regulation Branch is advising homeowners to educate themselves with the assistance of their agent, broker or insurer on the details of their property insurance.

A number of areas of the province are experiencing overland flooding or significant spring run-off as a result of a quick snow-melt and rain.

Manitoba Water Stewardship’s Hydrologic Forecast centre reports the flood forecast for the Red River Valley in southern Manitoba remains somewhat uncertain due to a storm system expected to affect the watershed over the next three days.

The 2009 spring run-off is now expected to be above average over southwestern Manitoba, somewhat above average for most other portions of southern Manitoba and close to average for most of northern Manitoba.

The province is in a high state of readiness for spring 2009 flooding, Intergovernmental Affairs Minister Steve Ashton, minister responsible for emergency measures, announced.

Forecasts from both the Province of Manitoba and the CWB’s weather and market analysis department anticipate flooding in spring, 2009, for the Red River Valley south of Winnipeg.

Manitoba Water Stewardship’s Hydrologic Forecast Centre has evaluated conditions for the Red River and an updated spring flood outlook indicates the potential for serious spring flooding in the Red River Valley has increased significantly due to a recent storm that brought heavy snow to areas south of Manitoba.