Transportation and Infrastructure Minister Doyle Piwniuk announced that the Manitoba government continues to take action to protect Manitobans from potential spring flooding.

“The province receives regular updates from our skilled hydrological forecast professionals, and updated predictions based on weather conditions and current flows now show a downgrade of last week’s forecast tracking towards 2017 levels,” said Piwniuk. “Preparation activities are still underway should the province need it and our government is working to ensure Manitobans remain protected in the event of a flood.”

The Manitoba Emergency Measures Organization (EMO) is currently working with local authorities and all emergency management partners to provide guidance and support for preparatory activities to reduce potential impacts to communities should flooding occur.

The minister noted that significant investments have been made in critical flood mitigation projects across the province as part of our government’s climate resiliency plan. Projects include:

  • northbound lanes of Provincial Trunk Highway (PTH) 75 have been raised by up to 1.2 metres to protect this major trade route from a 2009-level flood event;
  • Provincial Road (PR) 246 has been upgraded to Manitoba’s highest loading standard to provide an efficient detour for PTH 75 as needed;
  • ongoing repairs to dikes and pump stations at key locations throughout Manitoba’s major basins; and
  • ongoing investment in the Portage Diversion including repairs to the outlet structure and upgrades to the control structure.

The province has also installed nine new real-time gauges to monitor water levels in reservoirs across southern Manitoba and will install four additional gauges in 2022. In addition, the project for the repair of the Rapid City dam is well underway and construction work for the permanent repair of the Rapid City dam embankment is scheduled to begin this summer.

While the updated report forecasts more positive outcomes, the province is still expecting to operate the Red River Floodway and the Portage Diversion with continuous efforts monitoring levels in the possibility of a spring weather event, noted the minister.

More information about flooding and how to prepare for an emergency situation is available at manitoba.ca.