Flood brings state of emergency in Manitoba town

from ChaoticFate.com by qew
http://www.ctv.ca/CTVNews/TopStories/20110408/prairie-flood-outlook-110408/

 

CTV.ca News Staff

Date: Fri. Apr. 8 2011 8:27 PM ET

A town in southern Manitoba has declared a state of emergency as the region's residents sandbag their homes in preparation for spring flooding.

Water levels on the flood-prone Red River are rising and crested the riverbank north of Winnipeg after an ice jam on Thursday. The town of St. Andrews, about 25 kilometres north of the city, has declared a state of emergency, while floodwater has completely surrounded some houses in Breezy Point, just south of Lake Winnipeg.

Firefighters and local residents were working to erect emergency dikes along the river on Friday as the ice jam moved north. Several roads in the area have been submerged, complicating evacuation for local residents and emergency crews' efforts to reach the region.

The rising waters have left local residents worried. Laurel Monkman, whose home needs protection from the rising waters, said she hasn't slept in days.

"I've been out kind of walking the bank all night long, because you never know. You get an ice jam and the water can just raise," she said.

But in a flood bulletin posted on its website on Thursday, the province said water levels in that region were still much lower than during previous years' floods.

The Red River is also high in Winnipeg, which has rain in the forecast for the entire weekend. The river rose a metre on Thursday morning near James Avenue in the city's downtown, and about 100 homeowners in the city's south end have been warned to start building dikes and sandbags around their properties. Authorities say they could be flooded by April 22 or even sooner.

Chuck Sanderson, with the province's emergency measures organization, warned that residents in threatened areas should "start diking around their homes well in advance" of a possibly flood.

In neighbouring Saskatchewan -- which received "excessive" summer and fall rainfall last year -- this year's flood risk is well above normal in some places, according to an advisory bulletin issued by the province's watershed authority this week. It says agricultural areas are particularly at risk, adding that water levels could exceed riverbed capacity even if the snow melts at an average rate.

"A threat of very high runoff exists in an area east of a line through Wynyard and Regina, from Hudson Bay in the north down through Yorkton and Broadview and as far south as Weyburn," states the advisory.

In that region, in the province's southeast, residents are bracing for water levels "which historically occur once every 25 years, or four times in 100 years."

Regina residents are among those who have started filling sandbags and building dikes in an attempt to protect their property.

Meanwhile, lingering cold weather in the southwest of the province has contributed to the flooding threat there, the watershed authority said. The longer the snow on the ground stays frozen, the higher the water volume that will melt when a warm day arrives.

The Saskatchewan Watershed Authority said its advisory is meant to stay in place until midway through the month, unless something changes drastically.

With a report from CTV Winnipeg's Jeremy Hunka

http://www.mysteinbach.ca/newsblog/10705.html

Posted on 04/10/2011, 7:03 pm, by mySteinbach.ca

The Red River at Fargo is cresting today, reaching a peak of 38.75 ft.

The Red River Floodway is in operation.  In the next few days, water levels will affect access on some municipal roads in the area south of the floodway.

A high-water advisory has been issued for the lower Pembina River.

The high-water advisory for the Souris River near Melita remains in effect.

Weather and Effect on River Conditions

Warmer temperatures will result in sustained snowmelt run-off and river level rises.

Red River and Floodway Operations

The main stem of the Red River from Emerson to south of St. Adolphe has generally risen just over 0.15 metre (0.5 feet.) since yesterday’s readings.  Flows on the Red River at Emerson are 36,000 cubic feet per second (cfs).

Water levels at the floodway inlet have risen approximately 0.3 to 0.6 m (one to two ft.)  Flow rates in the Red River above the floodway are approximately 62,500 cfs with an upstream elevation of 231.2 m (758.52 ft.).  The floodway is now in operation.  Flows in the floodway are at approximately 15,000 cfs.

Several locations along the Red River in the U.S. are either at bank-full levels or have overtopped riverbanks.  The Red River in Manitoba is close to bank-full conditions in Emerson, Letellier and Morris with eroding banks in some locations.  The river is above bank-full levels in the St. Jean Baptiste area.  The river levels remain well below top-dike elevations.

The Red River between Winnipeg to Selkirk now has open water.  Ice jams two kilometres north of Netley Creek on the Red River are affecting Netley Creek water levels.  Ice conditions will be monitored closely.

Assiniboine River

Tributaries in the Assiniboine River basin are responding to recent precipitation with an approximate 0.15 m (0.5 ft.) rise observed at both Brandon and Holland since yesterday.  The Assiniboine River remains within banks at all locations at this time.

Shellmouth Reservoir inflow is 700 cfs and outflow is 400 cfs with a reservoir elevation of 421.8 m (1,384 ft.).
Flows in the Portage Diversion channel are 4,488 cfs and flows on the Assiniboine River downstream of the diversion are 3,036 cfs.

Pembina River

Significant run-off has started in the Pembina River system with a rise of 1.9 m (6.1 ft.) at Neche, N.D. and arise of 0.6 m (1.9 ft.) in Walhalla, N.D.  River levels are reaching bank-full conditions at several locations in Manitoba.  Water levels have risen on the Pembina River downstream of Rock Lake by 0.15 m (0.5 ft.) since yesterday and are above bank-full levels.  The outlet structure at Pelican Lake is closed.

Souris River

Water levels on the Souris River at Melita have risen by 0.2 m (0.5 ft.) since yesterday and is overbank.  Water levels have increased by over 0.5 m (1.5 ft.) at Souris since yesterday.

Weather conditions and their impacts on the Souris River basin will be monitored closely over the next few days.

Interlake Region

The Fisher River remains relatively stable, rising by less than 0.15 m (0.5 ft.) since yesterday.

The Icelandic River has increased 0.6 to 0.8 m (two to 2.5 ft.) since yesterday, however, water levels are still low.

Other Major Waterways

Run-off on the Brokenhead and La Salle Rivers is well underway and flows are increasing. The Saskatchewan River has seen minimal rises of less than 0.06 m (0.2 ft.) in the last 24 hours. Water levels on the Whitemud River system have remained relatively stable, with an increase of 0.5 m (1.75 ft.) at Westbourne since yesterday. Water levels on the Roseau River have increased by approximately 0.15 m (0.5 ft.) since yesterday.

Flood Response

Partial ring dike closures are underway or nearing completion at Ste. Agathe, St. Adolphe and Gretna.  As a result of the partial closure at St. Adolphe, PR 200 is closed (local traffic only) from Courchaine Road to St. Adolphe.  Tomorrow a partial closure of the ring dike will begin at St. Jean Baptiste.

PTH 75 continues to be monitored.  Partial closure of the highway north of Morris may be required late Monday evening or Tuesday.

Approximately 50 homes in the Petersfield area have voluntarily evacuated.  Sandbagging and flood barrier tubes are being put in place to protect homes.  No homes have been flooded in this area.  Flooding is a result of an ice jam north of Netley Creek.

Families who had evacuated from the RM of St. Andrews on Friday are returning home as water is off the road and there is now access to their properties.

The RM of West St. Paul will complete an earthen dike on Baldock Street by sometime tomorrow.   It has set up 47 flood tubes and is running pumps to keep homes and property safe.

The Office of the Fire Commissioner (OFC) has stationed water-rescue teams and equipment north of Winnipeg for municipalities or local authorities that require assistance managing rising water levels.

Overland flooding and frozen ditches are causing some problems in the RM of St. Laurent.  The RM is constructing temporary sandbag dikes and using equipment to remove ice and snow from ditches.  Pumps are also being used around some homes.

Six bridges have been damaged by ice or debris along Elm, Tourond and Dead Horse creeks.  Local traffic still has alternate routes available in these areas.

The setting up of larger flood barrier tubes in the Vita area continues to provide a second line of defence.

An earthen dike is nearly completed at the Little Saskatchewan First Nation on Lake St. Martin and the dike at Lake St. Martin First Nation is complete.

Work will begin on a dike at the Sioux Valley First Nation on the Assiniboine River.

Four Flood Liaison Offices are open to provide flood information to local residents and municipalities from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. seven days a week.  The offices are at Arborg: 1-202-376-3360, Brandon: 1-204-729-1220, Morris: 1-204-712-6219, Winnipeg: 1-204-945-8373.

For more information, see www.manitoba.ca/flooding and find the most up-to-date highway information at www.gov.mb.ca/mit/roadinfo.

Post Tags: Flooding, Manitoba