Flood threatens Waterhen; province sends icebreaker

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This article was published 22/11/2010 (5759 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

A state of local emergency has been declared in Waterhen, as rising water in the Waterhen River is threatening the small community about 100 kilometres northeast of Dauphin.

Waterhen is the third area of Manitoba threatened by winter flooding — flood conditions appear to be improving in the Shoal River area near Pelican Rapids and the Sapotaweyak Cree Nation, but the Roseau River near Dominion City is also a worry.

Paul Guyader, director of operations for the provincial emergency measures organization, said an Amphibex — the amphibious icebreaker — is being transported to the Waterhen area from Selkirk and should be in the community this morning.

“Frazil ice is jammed up at the mouth of the Waterhen River,” Guyader said. “It’s backed up to the community. Initially, there were a few low-lying properties outside the community that were being affected. Since then, the river has come up a little bit more.”

Guyader said a 2,700-metre long dike surrounds the community of 166 people and the province has provided 350 Tiger tube diking units to raise the dike an additional 45 centimetres.

The province has closed Provincial Road 328 near Waterhen, allowing only local traffic, because of water flowing over the roadway.

In a second flooding situation, Guyader said conditions appear to be improving in the Shoal River near Pelican Rapids and the Sapotaweyak Cree Nation.

An ice jam at the mouth of the river was backing water up into the First Nation.

“We’ve had the Amphibex working up there for a couple of days and we’re making progress,” Guyader said.

Levels in the Shoal River have fallen two inches, Guyader said. Provincial officials are assisting residents in Sapotaweyak build a berm around 30 homes.

Five homes in the community were flooded.

The flooding prompted officials to evacuate 25 residents and another 22 residents have temporarily relocated within the community.

Water levels are unusually high in all rivers and streams in Manitoba, Guyader said, and Water Stewardship is monitoring conditions.

The flooding has been caused by the development of frazil ice near the mouths of several rivers, which causes river water to back up and over banks. Work is ongoing to clear the ice and restore flows to normal levels.

The level of the Roseau River near Dominion City has increased one foot over the weekend, he said — that area is being watched closely.

“The best case scenario is we get some more cold weather and these rivers all freeze solid for the winter,” Guyader said.

aldo.santin@freepress.mb.ca