City ‘very well prepared’ to handle flood risks

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This article was published 01/04/2017 (3140 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

City flood preparations are flowing smoothly, officials say, as the Red River crept higher coming into the weekend. 

The river rose about a foot on Friday night, peaking at 19.5 ft. above its usual James Avenue level. By Saturday morning, the water had subsided to 19.3 ft. James, which city officials said was within the range they anticipated.

Some of that movement was expected after the province opened the floodway on Friday.  

“It’s not unusual for levels in the city to fluctuate somewhat up and down during the initial operation procedures,” city Waste Water Services manager Chris Carroll said on Saturday morning. 

“Also, there are still some ice pans moving in through the system, which also can influence river levels to climb to some degree, then we see them fall.” 

While the city prepares for a forecasted crest that could reach 20.8 ft. James — close to the peak of the 2011 flood, which hit 20.7 — it is taking precautions to protect some low-lying properties, largely in the south end of the city. 

On Thursday, the city identified 50 properties that could be at risk of flooding. Twenty-five of those already have sandbag dikes in place or are building them on Saturday. The other 25 properties will remain on standby. 

Homeowners at these properties are no strangers to sandbagging: Carroll said the city had worked with most of them “on many occasions” before. Many have already constructed their protection, with smaller dikes to be built today. 

“They’re quite used to these scenarios,” he said. “We’re in constant touch with them.” 

Currently, no volunteers are needed for sandbagging. City crews are filling sandbags this weekend, and aim to amass 75,000 this spring. Any that aren’t used will be added to an existing city stockpile. 

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“Once a need is determined, we could have sandbags on site within half an hour,” public works spokesman Ken Allen said. “We can respond very rapidly if it’s required.” 

All told, Carroll said, the city is “very well prepared” to handle the risks they see based on current water levels. That could change with a major rainfall, but there aren’t any walloping downpours forecasted on the horizon. 

In a news release, the city emphasized that homeowners considered at risk of flooding have been contacted. If homeowners haven’t heard from the city, it’s because their property has not been identified as being at risk.

That said, property owners who believe their land could be at risk but have not been contacted by the city, are directed to call 311.  

melissa.martin@freepress.mb.ca 

Melissa Martin
Reporter-at-large

Melissa Martin reports and opines for the Winnipeg Free Press.

Every piece of reporting Melissa produces is reviewed by an editing team before it is posted online or published in print — part of the Free Press‘s tradition, since 1872, of producing reliable independent journalism. Read more about Free Press’s history and mandate, and learn how our newsroom operates.