The Red River Floodway is being put into use for the second time this spring as parts of southern Manitoba are hit by heavy rainfall this weekend, the province says.
The flood channel was expected to activate later Saturday to control water levels in Winnipeg, according to a Saturday afternoon news release from the Manitoba Transportation and Infrastructure Hydrological Forecast Center.
That’s in response to a weather system that is forecast to bring heavy snow to parts of Manitoba.
Shortly after that statement was issued, the province announced that Courchaine Road, from Turnbull Drive to St. Mary’s Road, just south of Winnipeg, will close at 6 p.m. Saturday due to flood channel operation.
The flood channel was operated earlier this month, but stopped when river levels receded from the previous spring’s runoff.
The province said earlier this week that it would reactivate the floodway if necessary, and suggested that could happen as soon as May 1 – meaning his revival on Saturday would come a week earlier than expected.
As a result of the rain and snow forecast for this weekend, a ground flood warning has also been issued for parts of southern Manitoba, according to the statement.
That applies to the area from the Saskatchewan border to Highway 12 in eastern Manitoba, and from the northern border of the United States to Highway 1.
The affected area also extends north of the Trans-Canada Highway, between Highways 5 and 6, and between Portage la Prairie and Winnipeg.
razed provincial road
Onshore flooding occurs when water in the ground does not have enough time to flow into rivers and streams, potentially inundating low-lying areas, roads, and property.
In the rural township of Springfield, water swept away a provincial highway, leaving a large hole and a thin layer of asphalt on top.
Const. Jesse Zillman of the Springfield Police Department said PR 207, also known as Deacon Road, is closed at Springfield Road, just east of Red River Floodway. People should avoid the area, he said.
“The province shut it down because we don’t want anyone driving into a well,” Zillman said.
Police anticipate the road will be closed for an extended period as the province works to repair water damage.
“I am not a road builder, I am the police officer, but I suspect that it will not be a matter of days. It will be a matter of weeks,” Zillman said.
Other gravel roads are experiencing flooding in the area, he says, but none are as affected as PR 207.
The province said that since large amounts of rain in a short period of time can cause shallow flooding, people are being warned that water levels can rise suddenly in affected areas.
Most of the basins in central and southern Manitoba have already received up to 40 millimeters of precipitation, with another 30 to 50 millimeters expected for Saturday and Sunday. Some areas could reach up to 80 millimeters by midday Monday, according to the statement.
And because some ditches and waterways are covered with ice or contain snow, water flows remain limited as well.
Water levels in most tributaries of the Red River basin and along the main riverbed are rising rapidly due to recent rains and will continue to rise in the coming days, the province says.
But with daily average temperatures forecast to drop below freezing early next week, any remaining snow is expected to melt slowly.
Flood forecasters will continue to monitor precipitation amounts in Manitoba and assess the effect on water flows and levels in the province. Updated river forecast information is available on the provincial website.
The Manitoba Emergency Response Organization also continues to work with local authorities and emergency management partners to provide support to prepare for and respond to any flooding.
Reference-www.cbc.ca