Red River levels rise, low flood risk
An aerial file photo of flooding in the Red River Valley near Rosenort, Man. in May 2022. (Manitoba Co-operator photo by Allan Dawson)
WeatherFarm – As March comes to a close, there is a low-to-moderate risk of flooding across Manitoba’s basins, according to the provincial government.
The province’s March Flood Outlook Report, released by Manitoba Transportation and Infrastructure’s Hydrologic Forecast Centre (HFC) on March 26, said that gradual run-off in parts of southern Manitoba including the Red River Valley has started to flow into the Red River. As a result, levels are starting to rise along the main stem of the river. The HFC said it’s watching a system that could bring up to 25 millimetres of precipitation to the Red River Basin in the United States.
However, most Manitoba basins saw normal to below-normal moisture at freeze-up as well as variable amounts of winter precipitation. Barring any major precipitation events or a fast melt rate, water levels are expected to stay below dikes and community flood protection levels. Most Manitoba lake levels are normal to below-normal and are forecast to remain within their normal operating ranges after the spring run-off.
The spring flooding risk is low for the Red River and its tributaries, as well as the Whiteshell Lakes region and the Souris, Qu’Appelle, Rat, Roseau, Pembina, Saskatchewan and Churchill River basins. The risk is low-to-moderate for the Assiniboine River and its tributaries, as well as Icelandic and Fisher Rivers.
While the Red River Floodway is not expected to be in operation this spring under the current forecast, the Portage Diversion and the Shellmouth Reservoir may be operated to prevent flooding on the Assiniboine. Ice cutting is complete on the Red and Icelandic Rivers, with work to be completed on the Fisher River.
