Manitoba flood forecasters say they are closely monitoring a series of rains that could bring between 40 and 60 millimeters of rain to much of the province over the next five to seven days.
In addition, there is a high chance that more than 60 millimeters of rain will fall in some areas, the province said in a flood bulletin on Saturday afternoon.
The Manitoba Hydrological Forecasting Center will update its water level forecasts to determine the effect that all rains will have on areas that have already suffered floods, the bulletin said.
Right now, forecasts suggest that southern and central Manitoba will receive strong southerly winds later Saturday and night with gusts of up to 80 km / h.
This could raise water levels in flooded areas of the Red River Valley south of Winnipeg – from Letelier to Rosenort – by up to six inches.
The waves could also contribute to the temporary rise in water levels, which could lead to temporary road coverings, according to the flood bulletin.
Twenty-six Manitoba communities have already declared a local state of emergency, the bulletin said, while four municipal emergency centers have been activated.
Rivers near the ridge
The Red River is close to the Emerson Reef, while the Fisher River is close to the Peguis First Nation and Fisher River Cree Nation ridges – both of which declared a state of emergency this week.
Peguis chief Glenn Hudson said the prospects were not good for the community, but they would continue to fight for their homes.
“It may be raining, so we continue to collect sand and put Tiger pipes around our homes here in the community,” he said in an interview Saturday.
“You can’t beat Mother Nature.”
Peguis First Nation chief Glenn Hudson says the community will continue to fight, even as more rains are forecast. (Justin Fraser / CBC)
The floods continue in Interlake, the Red River Valley and many other parts of central and southern Manitoba, the bulletin said.
However, this flood is now becoming more concentrated around rivers, streams and drains that are above capacity as water moves through the system.
People living in these areas must monitor local conditions and take all necessary action to mitigate floods, the province said.
The floodplain, along with the Portage diversion, is still working for lower water levels in Winnipeg.
Water levels are still rising in the Red River Valley, with peak levels predicted to be similar to 2009 levels in Emerson and slightly lower – between 2011 and 2009 levels – from Letelier to the entrance on the Red River Floodway.
The 2009 Red River flood was the third worst since the founding of Manitoba. The peak flow for the river south of Winnipeg this spring was 97,000 cubic feet per second.
The flow in the floodplain was nearly 40,000 cubic feet per second on Saturday morning, the bulletin said, while flows upstream at the entrance to the floods were approximately 79,000.
But water levels are expected to remain high for some time in many parts of southern and central Manitoba, the bulletin said.
Highway 75 – the main route from Winnipeg to the United States – remains closed to both the north and south of the city of Maurice, with detours. Details are available about the closure of highways in Manitoba on the provincial website.
There are several warnings and recommendations for high water:
- The flood warning remains in effect for the Red River from Emerson to the Red River Floodway entrance and from the Red River Floodway Canal exit to Lake Winnipeg.
- The flood warning remains in effect for La Salle near the Sanford, Pembina, Boyne, Maurice and Little Morris rivers and the Deadhorse, Shannon and Netley streams. All other tributaries of the Red River remain under flood surveillance.
- The flood warning remains in force for the Fischer and Iceland rivers.
- The flood warning remains in effect for the Assiniboine River from Shellmouth Dam to Brandon.
- The flood warning remains in force for the White Lake area.
- The flood warning remains in effect for the Whitemouth and Birch rivers. Flood monitoring is issued for the Rath River and remains in force for the Rose River.
- Flood monitoring remains in force for the Whitemouth River.
- A high water level warning has been issued for streams in the Parkland area that drain from the Duck and Riding Mountains due to the rapid increase in flow and water levels.
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