Mayor to Winnipeggers: Don’t make spring travel plans

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This article was published 24/01/2011 (5692 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

WINNIPEG – The City of Winnipeg is warning riverfront property owners not to make travel plans this spring, just in case the expected flood winds up being on the severe side of early forecasts.

Approximately 800 Winnipeg property owners should prepare for the possibility of sandbagging their homes and commercial properties this spring, and everyone in the city should expect to be called upon to help out in some form of volunteer effort, Mayor Sam Katz, emergency preparedness officer Randy Hull and water and waste director Barry MacBride told reporters this afternoon.

Earlier this afternoon, the province unveiled an early flood outlook that suggests normal weather conditions could produce a Red River Valley flood on the scale of the 2009 event – and bad weather could produce a 1997-scale flood.

Two hours later, Katz, Hull and MacBride told reporters the City of Winnipeg is preparing for the 1997-like flood situation, just to be safe, as well as the possibility of serious overland flooding and drainage problems during serious rainfall events.

The city is ordering millions of additional sandbag sleeves to go with the 800,000 in stock. Plans are being made to close drainage gates and activate pumps to protect the city’s sewer system from rising river levels.

Plans are also being made to contact property owners who will likely be affected, including those in usual trouble spots such as Kingston Crescent, Scotia Street and Cloutier Drive.

The city is also preparing evacuation centres to deal with people forced to flee river flooding or overland flooding elsewhere in Manitoba. Even if the City of Winnipeg’s defences are successful, it is extremely likely some other region of the province will be flooded out, city officials warned.

The stark warning should be taken as an effort to put Winnipeg property owners on notice and prepare for the spring, the officials said.

There is little property owners can do at this moment, other than ensure their homes are drained properly and install backwater valves and sump pumps. Details about a city-provincial subsidy program for those measures will be announced Tuesday.

Anyone whose property has been threatened by previous floods should make plans to ensure someone is taking care of their homes or businesses this spring, the officials warned.