Winnipeg Free Press - ONLINE EDITION

Dikes should be ready for next week's crest

By: Bruce Owen

Posted: 06/30/2011 4:01 PM | Comments: 0

Warm weather has brought some relief to floodfighters in southwestern Manitoba, provincial officials said today.

It has given floodfighters valuable time to build massive dikes as forecasters predict floodwaters will arrive on the Souris River July 4, a day earlier than first predicted.

Flood Fight

Flood Fight

The latest news about flooding in southern Manitoba this spring.
Interactive Map

Points of interest in Manitoba's flood fight
Compare floods

Compare today's river level in Winnipeg with levels during the 1950, 1997 and 2009 floods.

Hundreds of workers and volunteers are currently building emergency dikes in Melita, Souris and Wawanesa. Dikes are also being raised at The Pas as the Saskatchewan River rises.

Emergency Measures Minister Steve Ashton said all major dikes should be finished when the high water starts to crest starting July 4 in Melita.

He also said the water rushing down the Souris will raise levels in the Assiniboine River. The Souris meets the Assiniboine near Holland.

That means the inflow into the Portage Reservoir near Portage la Prairie is forecasted to reach 48,000 to 52,000 cubic feet per second between July 8 - 14.

That amount means more water being sent down the Portage Diversion into the swollen Lake Manitoba as the Assiniboine River east of Portage can only handle about 18,000 cfs.

The high water on the Souris and Saskatchewan rivers comes from the late-melting snowpack in the Rockies and a number of heavy rainstorms that have deluged the prairies for more than a year.

Fact Check

Have you found an error, or know of something we’ve missed in one of our stories? Please use the form below and let us know.

* Required

In which story did you find the error? *
Please post the headline of the story or the title of the video with the error.
What was the error? *
Please post exactly what was wrong with the story.
What should we have written?
Please indicate your source for the correct information.
Who else should we interview to improve this story?
Please include any contact information you may have.
Can we contact you in the future for advice on stories about this topic?
Yes

No
First Name: *
Last Name: *
E–mail Address: *
This will only be used to contact you if we have a question about your submission, it will not be used to identify you or be published.
Phone: *
This will only be used to contact you if we have a question about your submission, it will not be used to identify you or be published.
Colour:
Are you blue? If you can see this, leave it blank and get some CSS support.
Enter the words that you see: * This is to prevent our forms from being filled out automatically.
You have failed to correctly identify the words in the box above. Please try again.

You can comment on most stories on winnipegfreepress.com. You can also agree or disagree with other comments. All you need to do is register and/or login and you can join the conversation and give your feedback.

Have Your Say

New to commenting? Check out our Frequently Asked Questions.

The Winnipeg Free Press does not necessarily endorse any of the views posted. By submitting your comment, you agree to our Terms and Conditions. These terms were revised effective April 16, 2010.