Flood risk low to moderate in most of Manitoba ahead of spring, province says in outlook | CBC News
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Most of Manitoba’s waterways have a low to moderate chance of overflowing this spring after what’s been a generally dry winter across the province, officials say.
Snow accumulation, soil moisture and river base flows are mostly within or below seasonal norms in most parts of Manitoba, with only the Fisher River presenting a major to moderate risk of significant flooding, the province said in its March flood outlook.
That’s following a winter that saw precipitation range between near- and below-normal levels across much of the province, with northeastern Manitoba experiencing particularly dry conditions according to the 37-page report released Friday.
But the province said the actual risk of flooding is highly dependent on what the weather looks like from now through the melt period.
Short-term weather forecasts indicate there is a good chance water basins in much of central and northern Manitoba get more than 25 millimetres of precipitation in the two-week period ending in March 31, the report said.
Asides from the major-to-moderate risk in Fisher River, there’s moderate risk of flooding for the Red, Assiniboine and Souris rivers, the Icelandic River in the Interlake Region and parts of the Saskatchewan River in northern Manitoba.
Ice cutting and breaking along the Red River have been completed to prevent flooding caused by ice jams, with similar operations underway along the Icelandic River.
But so far, water levels at place where there are dikes or flood protection works are expected to remain manageable, the report said.
In most lakes, they’re forecast to remain at normal ranges, with Lake Winnipeg and Lake Manitoba actually tracking well below normal for this time of the year.
Control structures like the Red River Floodway and the Portage diversion are not expected to operate unless there is unfavourable weather, the report said. The Shellmouth Reservoir is being used to reduce risk of flooding downstream on the Assiniboine River.
The province is reminding Manitobans to stay off waterways, rivers and retention ponds as temperatures warm and ice strength deteriorates.