Red River flood risk remains major: province

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This article was published 11/04/2023 (937 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

The Red River’s flood risk hasn’t changed after both North Dakota and southern Manitoba received a recent dump of snow.

On Tuesday, the Hydrologic Forecast Centre said its latest view is consistent with last month’s spring outlook, which predicted a major flood risk between the international border and Red River Floodway inlet.

The existing flood protection in place for communities and individual residents in the Red River Valley has been built higher than the water levels are predicted to reach, the centre said.

While it is watching a precipitation system expected to hit southeastern Manitoba and the American end of the Red River Valley, it is not expected change the flood outlook at this time, officials said.

The centre also said the flood risk in the Interlake region, including the Icelandic and Fisher rivers, as well as the Assiniboine River, is low to moderate.

Other rivers with low risks of spring flooding are the Souris, Roseau, Rat and Pembina.

As well, the centre said all lakes in Manitoba, except for Dauphin Lake and Lake St. Martin, are expected to stay within their operating ranges.

Meantime, the province is warning Manitobans to stay off ice, as warm temperatures in recent days have kick-started the spring thaw. Runoff is expected to weaken ice on the province’s lakes, rivers and creeks in the next few days.