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Winnipeg Free Press - PRINT EDITION

Flooding in brief

By: Staff Writer

Posted: 05/7/2011 1:00 AM | Comments: 0

Water levels on the Assiniboine River at the First Street Bridge in Brandon are exceeding the record level set in 1923. With more water coming because of a revised forecast, levels will approach previous historic floods in 1904 and 1882.

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Flood-fighters are adding an additional row of super-sandbags behind the existing super-sandbag dike along First Street. This will provide additional freeboard protection along the Assiniboine River. The dike along 18th Street in Brandon will also be reinforced.

Flows in the Portage Diversion Friday were at 20,000 cubic feet per second. Inflows upstream of Portage la Prairie are 38,000 cfs. Flows on the Assiniboine River at the diversion will be held at 18,000 cfs for an extended period. Flows further downstream on the Assiniboine River may be higher than this level due to run-off from local flows after rainfall.

Levels on the Assiniboine River from Baie St. Paul to Headingley are also forecast to receive sustained high flows for an extended period. Despite regulation of Assiniboine River, inflows from local run-off following any rainfall may increase water levels in the area another six inches.

As a precautionary measure, construction of a 400-metre secondary dike behind a section of the primary, permanent dikes along the Assiniboine River is expected to begin this weekend. The affected section is between Poplar Point and the Baie St. Paul Bridge, where ice jams damaged the dike in mid-April.

Residents in the rural municipalities of Cartier, St. Francois Xavier and Headingley are also raising their dikes this weekend an additional two feet above the existing water level to provide for protection against anticipated rain and potential high winds.

The Assiniboine River forecast for the Sioux Valley has also been revised upwards for forecast peak water levels between 1,204.7 to 1,205.2 feet above sea level. The Sioux Valley First Nation dikes provide flood protection level to 1,207 feet.

The RM of Ochre River near Dauphin Lake has declared a state of local emergency and is doing work along the shoreline to drain overland water and protect area homes. Ten additional residences are being sandbagged.

Flood-tube barriers are being provided to the Ashern area to protect homes around Kernsted Beach from rising Lake Manitoba waters. Lake Manitoba water levels are forecast to reach between 814.2 and 814.6 feet above sea level around June 4.

In Winnipeg, water flows just upstream of the Red River Floodway inlet are 73,500 cfs. Flows in the floodway are about 34,700 cfs. Downtown, the Red River has held a sustained open-water crest at 19.6 ft. for the last two days. Flows at Friday morning were approximately 58,800 cfs.

Republished from the Winnipeg Free Press print edition May 7, 2011 A5

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