Triple threat: Manitoba on alert for ice jams, overland flooding, rising Red

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This article was published 28/03/2009 (6030 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

More cool weather Saturday was a mixed blessing for flood protection efforts in Manitoba, putting off the thaw that will mean even more overland flooding but leaving ice jams on the Red River stuck tight.

Senior flood forecaster Alf Warkentin said despite earlier predictions, it looks like temperatures won’t heat up until the end of the week, with ice conditions on the Red expected to hold steady.

“It looks now like that’s going to be delayed even further,” said Warkentin of the thaw.

Saturday’s cooler temperatures were a relief for some volunteers and homeowners north of the city, who used the extra time to keep sandbagging homes and setting up tube dikes in anticipation of rising flood waters from Fargo.

The weather did nothing to melt frozen culverts that are already contributing to some of the worst overland flooding officials say they’ve ever seen.

Overland flooding is expected to increase as the snow melts over the next few weeks, and more ice jams could be in store if temperatures rise as anticipated.

The Amphibex icebreakers are working to break up ice on the Red in the McIvor Road area near the PTH 4 bridge, and crews are out with steamers to thaw out the culverts. The province is working to buy up to 24 new steamers and make them available this week, and will be getting 300 new flood tubes Tuesday.

The river level in downtown Winnipeg dropped slightly to 16.7 feet above historic winter ice levels Saturday, while it rose half a foot in Emerson. The river is expected to crest between April 5 and 10 in Emerson, and April 11 and 16 in Winnipeg, Warkentin said.

Emergency officials are continuing to work around the clock to flood-proof the province in the wake of ice jams, ice-blocked culverts and the rising Red River, city and provincial officials said today.

More Winnipeggers building sandbag dikes

Ice jams, which have caused problems north of Winnipeg, continue to pose a flood threat and also threaten the city. 

With the floodway useless until ice starts moving, city officials are worried river levels will still rise and ice will jam, especially at bridges. If that happens, homeowners on the river could be deluged in a matter of hours.

On Saturday the city called on 30 more riverfront homeowners to start sandbagging their properties, and the 50 households that have already built dikes were asked to raise them another foot by Friday, when river levels are expected to peak at 20.5 feet James. That’s not the water headed north from Fargo — where the Red is expected to crest this weekend — but natural run-off from the province.

The city has started to alert the affected homeowners and drop off more piles of sandbags.

City officials tested ice cores from the river yesterday and found the ice is as thick as it was last month.

The weather is a wildcard. If it’s cold next week, the ice won’t move but overland flooding that struck parts of Charleswood and rural Manitoba earlier this month could begin anew. If the weather warms, meltwater could overwhelm sewers and culverts and the ice could move too quickly.

Though the province has said the floodway could be activated Friday, it’s more likely that a solid week or two of warm weather is needed to loosen the ice.

Volunteers urged to help RMs north of city

The city also says it’s not putting out a call for volunteers yet. That would be "overkill," said emergency coordinator Randy Hull. But he said municipalities north of the city need could use all the help they can get.

Paul Guyader, emergency coordinator for the RMs of St. Andrews and West St. Paul said about 100 volunteers are running a sandbag machine this morning and others are helping build dikes and transport materials, but "we can use more." 

People who’d like to help out can call 481-0739, or if the line is busy, simply come out to the St. Andrews south fire hall at Donald Road and Highway 9 (Main Street).

Guyader also called on fellow politicians, public works officials, fire chiefs and other emergency crews in areas not affected by flooding to get in touch with their counterparts in West St. Paul, St. Andrews and St. Clement to share resources where possible.

"See what you can offer. If you got public works people and equipment, we’re looking for that because of course we’ve got to maintain these municipalities. Even fire chiefs in outlying areas you can call your counterparts and see if there’s anything you can offer," he said.

He said ice jamming, overland flooding, and water flowing north from flood-ravaged Fargo poses a triple threat for homeowners north of Winnipeg.

"Any combination of those three fronts coming together is going to make a lot bigger task for us," he said.

For now the ice jam is holding near Lower Fort Garry, he said, and teams are working to protect homes north of Lockport from ice jamming. They plan to shift their efforts back to overland flooding in a few days’ time.

Flood victims looking for temporary dry storage space can contact U-Haul at 987-9518, said Guyader. The business is offering free storage space for 30 days for flood victims while space is available.

And RCMP and politicians are reminding curious Manitobans to steer clear of flood-prone areas and heed road barricades to avoid getting in the way of emergency crews.

— with files from Canadian Press