Updated: Thu Apr. 16 2009 9:20:03 PM

CTV.ca News Staff

Winnipeg may have seen the worst of this year's flooding season as water levels begin to stabilize along the banks of the swollen Red River.

On Thursday, a state of emergency was declared for certain sections of Winnipeg, but later in the day, there were signs that the river had crested earlier than expected.

Still, officials warned that water levels could still change as the spring runoff continues to flow through the Red River's tributaries.

"Unpredictable ice conditions on the Assiniboine River have increased Red River water levels in Winnipeg, while forecasted levels in some other parts of the Red River Valley are now somewhat lower ..." said a flood media bulletin issued on Thursday.

However, a dry weather forecast with very little precipitation should also provide relief for flood-weary residents.

"The Red River will begin a very gradual decline tomorrow and remain above six metres until the middle of next week," said the flood watch bulletin.

However, parts of Winnipeg are still under a state of emergency.

The warning affects about 280 homes located near the swollen river and the city's main protective dyke.

However, officials stressed Thursday that the declaration is "proactive" and isn't meant to instill fear or panic among locals.

Meanwhile, thanks to no precipitation water levels on other sections of the Red River could be expected to

Randy Hull, emergency preparedness coordinator with the city of Winnipeg, said the warning is for homes on the river-side of the city's primary dike system.

Hull told CTV Newsnet that "a few pockets of homes" outside of the city have also been evacuated as the waters continue to rise.

Winnipeg is the latest Manitoba municipality to issue a warning following weeks of tense flood watching in the region.

Provincial crews have partially sealed up 12 small communities along the Red River with ring dikes, including Riverside, which is now completely closed up.

Meanwhile, the municipality of Ritchot put 150 households under a voluntary evacuation order Thursday after roadways were washed out.

Other evacuations took place in nearby St. Adolphe, and evacuees have been offered stays in Winnipeg hotels.

Meanwhile, Hull said that locals are exhausted from "several rounds of this fight with the Red River."

While ice jams caused flooding earlier this month, Hull said the current warnings stem from spring runoff, warm temperatures and rising waters in tributary rivers.

"It's the third worst level of flooding over the last 100 years here in Winnipeg," said Hull.

The Red River is expected to crest at Morris, south of Winnipeg, on Saturday.

Officials predict the water will rise to the second highest level in a century, just short of the flood of 1997.

That "so-called flood of the century" caused $400 million in damage and forced the evacuation of some 28,000 people.

This time, the residents of Morris haven't evacuated and are instead protected by a ring dike around the town. Roads into town are closed to the north, south and west. People can still drive in and out to the east but emergency officials say the town may have to close the dike, if the water continues to rise.

Inside the town, residents are trying to get used to the eerie quiet. Highway 75, which runs from the U.S. border to Winnipeg, remains closed under two metres of water. Residents say with no trucks roaring through the town as usual, and everyone hunkered down at home, Morris feels like a ghost town.

Flooding to last 'several more weeks'

Residents in the rest of the southern part of the province are being told to brace for "several more weeks" of washed out roads and fields that resemble lakes.

"Crests from St. Jean Baptiste to the floodway inlet are now expected to exceed those of 1979 by about 15.25 centimetres (half a foot)," reads the latest flooding bulletin on the government of Manitoba website.

"Once rivers have crested, there will be a gradual decline in levels. However, levels will remain high for several weeks, even with favourable weather."

Manitoba Premier Gary Doer said while the danger of forcing evacuations is not over, he's pleased with how well prepared the province has been for this flood.

"If we didn't have all our flood protection systems in place, we would be evacuating 100,000 people in Winnipeg," he told Canada AM Thursday.

"We have the floodway diversion, we had people sandbagging last night in low, outlying areas for another 100 homes."

With files from The Canadian Press

Comments are now closed for this story

Red X
Evacuate OR Fight to protect your property. 1997 was the flood of the century. So does that mean spring 2009 is the flood of this century?

Pugfire
While I feel for the people there in a way, I also feel that this yearly repetition and spending of untold amounts of money, both governmental and private and naturally the insurance companies is totally ridicilious. They know this will happen. Why continue to build there?
It's like someone buying next to an airport and then complaining about the noise.

St Andrews/ Lockport resident
In the past I have read several comments from people who say " move away from the river". Unless you live in our area you don't understand . Our home is over 2km away from the river and water was within 10ft of our house. Neighbors on both sides of us spent their Easter weekend pumping trying to save their homes.

Russ
When i took geography we were taught that a flood plain is where water runs off each year during a rainy season or spring breakup. I feel for people that take precautions to keep themselves out of live's risks but when you build on a flood plain.... you will be flooded!

Reg in Surrey
One point I'd like to raise is that I hear a lot of people say that 1997 was the "flood of the century." I was born in Winnipeg in 1954, so I don't have first hand knowledge of this, but my family, who lived in southern Manitoba at the time say the 1950 flood was a lot worse. Are people forgetting there was a serious flood that year? By the way I'm also told that was the flood that prompted the construction of the floodway and my grandfather was a dragline operator who helped build it.

DCR-Toronto
Pugfire, I think you haven't a clue of the situation. These towns, cities, and farms, have been there for hundreds of years.
This ISN"T happening every year, to this degree. I grew up in southern Manitoba, and by the logic of some people that have posted on this subject lately, we would evacuate thousands upon thousands of square miles of Manitoba. That would be like going into Quebec City or Hamilton and trying to move the entire city. It's ridiculous.

dale archambeau
The entire region should get together and build a giant water diversion system to the Western U.S. and Southern Alberta. Every year those two areas would get all the water they need to survive through the summer.

Lockport/ St Andrews
Move away Pug? I guess that would mean to move out almost everyone from Southern Manitoba. It is not only The Red river that is causing the problems. All rivers and streams are swollen.Plus have had a very long and extremly cold winter. Now weather is warming and all the snow is melting , we are getting rain and the ground is frozen. There is no where for the water to be absorbed. So where does is go ? No where , it just sits there on top of the land. Please look into the whole situation before you assume everyone affected by this lives by The Red. I drove 1 hr west of The Red River yesterday, guess what I saw ? Flooded fields every where. Move them too?

Bob H fr Petawawa
I fell terrible for the people in MB. I lived there for a total of 12 years. I can imagine what they are going through. I helped with the floods in 1966 when just a young fellow new to the Army. I wanted to go out in 1997 to help out with my regiment, but was not allowed to go due to other comittments. Let's hope for a quick relief of their situation.

DM - water-lovin Manitoba
hey Pugfire .. why do people live in tornado alley .. why do people live on the southeastern seaboard for hurricanes ... why do people live in Indonesia with typhoons ...... then there's the areas prone to earthquakes, volcanoes ..... there's crap all over the place.
Pick a spot, make a living and deal with what motheer nature deals you.
Enjoy your free ride in Utopia ......... while it lasts.
Besides .... we don't have enough lakes here :)

tim
Pugfire, have you ever been to southern Manitoba? It is one of the flattest parts of this planet. Building a home 5 kms from a river doesn't mean you can avoid being flooded.

Should people stop building in the midwest because of tornadoes? Should people stop building on the coast because of quakes or hurricanes?

Tell me, where on this earth is a safe place from Mother Nature?

Mark
All the IGNORANT comments stating that this happens EVERY YEAR. It does not. The worst flood was 12 YEARS AGO.

Melanie Fox
I saw the segment with that man who created those machines that helped with the flooding...too bad he can't sell them across the world for flooding problems......It is an interesting machine
Melanie Fox, student

Winnipeger
I agree with Mark. This is MY PROVINCE! I wouldn't live anywhere else!

Steve V
Didn't I say, 2 weeks ago to call in the army??? They are more than willing to go and help, it will change their mood from the operations in Afghanistan....There is nothing better than help our owns!

Linda in Ottawa
I totally agree with Dave Archambeau, help your economy by creating jobs and do something permanent to ensure this does not happen again. Instead of spending countless of millions of dollars on bandaid, for the moment temporary fixes, fix it for good. And he is right, the water can help sustain surrounding communities. Its not rocket science!!

Hunter from Toronto
I would like to offer my best wishes to the people that are affected by this, and hope that all make it through with minimal damage or heartache.

To the people that criticize people for living in an area where there is flooding, I ask you this: Have you ever sped in a car, maybe not worn your seatbelt, how about smoke, or eat foods high in fat or worse transfat, I don't think there is ANYONE out there that can say they have never done anything that might be a risk to them or their property, so instead of being ignorant, be supportive, it's the very least you can do for these people in need.

In case you are wondering, I am not from Manitoba, nor have I ever been there, but I am CANADIAN, and that means supporting one another especially in a time of need.

Brenda
I feel sorry for the people affected and congratulate the ones who are out trying to help.
Question I have is has anyone thought of dynamiting the ice before the thaw begins to avoid some of these big ice jams. This has worked in other areas and stopped the level of flooding.
No matter how much you prepare if Mother Nature decides to get you she gets you.
The people affected,workers, people supplying services to the evacuated, etc are all in my prayers. As are the people who suggested these people move from this beautiful area.

John (Winnipeg)
Thank you "Hunter from Toronto".

I grew up in a warm climate. Moving to Winnipeg was difficult at first, but there's no other place than Winnipeg.
The quality of life, opportunities, all the cottage lakes and with a diverse economy.
If we just could get rid of the Socialist government life would be perfect.

60 Year old Winnipeger
My da has pictures of him in a rowboat at McGregor & Redwood during the 1950's flood. HE was helping with moving the sandbags to houses under flood attach but who's sandbag dikes were still working.

Shorty after that Premier Roblin proposed & build the Floodway that now protects this City.

With that said, I myself have many times over the last 40 plus years helped to save the houses on Scotia Street, near the floodway gates, and Kingston Row.

I feel somewhat sorry for the homeowners in these areas, but come on all you nay sayers what solution do you thing should be done?

Have the City build permanent earthen dikes? - This might be a good idea.

Have the City offer lots in other areas of the City for free and help with the moving of the affected houses? - Might also be a good idea as Grand forks did this in 1996/7.

Who I really feel sorry for are all those people upstream of Winnipeg who now get tons more water due to the operation of the Floodway to save Winnipeg.

Maybe it is time to consider building another floodway from the US border to Lake Winnipeg to save all the other communities. Yes it will cost millioms of dollars, but they have suffered alot more than us because the gates are closed again and the water that would have flooded Winnipeg big time is backing up.

Dave In Calgary
All the best to our Manitoban friends through this hard time.
Does anyone know if there is any agency set up for donations. clothes, blankets, or anything that is needed? I would be glad to give anything to help since I am not there to sandbag.

Lindsay
I would say higher provincial and municipal taxes for those in Winnipeg/Southern Manitoba. If you chose to live there you can pay the piper. No reason for continously getting subsidzed by Federal $$. Head to the hills.

Prairie Person
There have always been, and will always be floods. What is different in recent years is the ice jams. I'm told this is because the federal government stopped dredging the outlet of the Red into Lake Winnipeg in the early 1990s, and silt has been building up ever since. Seems to me that resuming the dredging would be a relatively inexpensive solution. If the ice can move, the water can flow, and floods are less likely and less severe.

kj from ottawa
Having lived through '97 and seeing how Manitoba is dealing with this flood, I'd say we have definitely invested in good flood protection for the population centers. As for the rest of the flood plain, perhaps houses up on stilts would be a good long term solution? As opposed to moving, which is not realistic, and digging ditches/dykes around each house, which would probably look ugly and stir too much soil up better used for planting crops. perhaps stilts is not possible for every house however, maybe flood proofing basement/first floor? is that possible?

Hope my home town Winnipeg weathers well this stress test.

Andy Y - Vancouver
@Red X
Um,unless you were there in 1997, I'd suggest you curb your uninformed rhetoric.

In 1997 the Red River reached it's highest point and as of yet still hasn't been surpassed. It was serious enough to call in the military to assist in sandbagging efforts and the floodway was at capacity. It was bizzar to see APCs driving around and to drive over bridges inside the city where the flood waters were skimming their undersides!

Where river banks were fenced off to prevent people from getting too close.

@Reg in Surrey.

The reason why previous floods did more damage is because they were before the floodway was built and the primary reason for building it.

In 1997 the floodway was at capacity for the first time in its history. While much of the Red River valley was under water, Winnipeg managed to get through it with minimal damage.

I was there in '97 and it certainly was a sureal experience!

Chris from Selkirk
To Dave from Calgary: Thank you for your support. Donations can be made through the Manitoba branch of the Red Cross or Salvation Army. These are two agencies that I have seen helping the sandbaggers and volunteers.

Jason - AB
Divert water from Manitoba to western US and Alberta?
The rivers flowing across the prairies flow west to east. Know why? There is more than a 2000ft elevation drop from Lethbridge to Winnipeg.
What a terrible idea.

Les in BC
To those affected or threatened by flood waters, I hope you are all safe and receive the help you need. As a Canadian first we all need to do our best to support one another and negative comments don't help. I haven't yet but hope to soon visit Manitoba. Keep your heads up!

JB from Ontario
I will pray for some cooler weather for Winnipegers so the ice and snow melts slower.

joe
I agree with Lindsay!!

Dave
I was there in 97 and this could have been avoided because we offered to fix up the dykes but were told no.

Pip
POsters, please read the article carefully before sounding off with ill-informed comments.


280 houses, probably 1000 people, are at risk of being flooded. The population of Winnipeg is in excess of 600,000, that is only 0.16% of the population that is immediately affected.


I am proud to be a Winnipeg resident: this city has, for its size, more to offer than Toronto or Vancouver. So what if it is cool in Winter, and risks floods in Spring? Yes, fields get flooded, but, as with the Nile (before Aswan High Dam), the flood waters bring nourishment to those fields, which is why that crop land is so valuable.


As for those who would evacuate the entire Red River Valley, or who are unaware of the laws of gravity. . .

James in the gap
Hey guys,
Read up on the subject before you make comment about building in a Flood plain. We are not talking about a local creek flooding that’s banks. The “Red” cuts Manitoba in half. Most of the land on either side of the red river out to 50 miles on either side is no more then 25 feet above the river at the best of times. And all you can come up with is don’t build there? Come on get real. Get the facts before you start talking.

Anne
Re: Pugfire - <>


That is such an ignorant and immature comment. I'm from Europe, currently visiting my family in Calgary, and I still feel like those people should get help. You should care more instead of trying to be so smart.


To make a similar comment with yours - some people are overeating and get upset stomach, yet relief options are still being offered. If I were to follow your logic, I'd protest the mere existence of all those stomach pain relievers that we see on pharmacy shelves and I'd be mad at all those greedy folks who encourage the drug industry.

Craig Winnipeg
Again all the geography majors flapping there lips without a clue what they are talking about. Move? Move where? To California to deal with earthquakes, Texas for Tornadoes, Florida to enjoy a Hurricane. Where is this mystical place where man keeps Mother Nature at bay? Silly silly comments. Born and raised in Manitoba, not going to run away when it gets wet. Not the way us prairie folk are wired. No quit in us. Here's a thought. If we call in the army, then we need them. This is not a Toronto snow storm, which by the way the worst thing that can happen in a snow storm is loosing your mittens. No sucks live in the Red River valley. "Sweet Home Manitoba" , Where the skies are Blue!!

Bertha -Winnipeg
I never thought to check out what other Canadians were thinking about the current excitement in Manitoba, truth be told I was a little taken a back with some of the comments, especially regarding federal relief.
Manitobans (as all Canadians) pay federal taxes and I don't think we need to feel badly about dipping into those coffers every 15 years or so if we need it. Some of the attitudes regarding this amazes me, especially on the heals of major federal bail outs of the automobile sector to save jobs in Ontario! Yes Manitoba is a flood plain and as such this land ensures that we produce much of Canada's food supply; we actually need water for this endeavor so suggestions to divert all our water to another province is just stupid. Don't forget without all this water we wouldn't be able to keep the rest of Canada and a good portion of the States in hydro electric power! And the last thing we would want to do is connect our floodway to a floodway from the States so that we can accept all their runoff from their possibly polluted creeks into our lakes (the water in the Red is quite enough thank-you!). Our province has invested heavily in icebreaking equipment, but when you are dealing with 4 foot thick chunks of ice the size of small islands, its not hard to imagine that this equipment might not always be enough. To the "well-wishers" thanks so much for that!

Craig who's Dry in Winnipeg
Just read another line of fiction. Operating the flood way does not add additional water to area's north of Winnipeg. If you have 100,000 cfs (Cubic feet p/second going up the Red river, it trashes Winnipeg and still go's North. If you have 40,000 go thru the flood way and 60,000 thru the city it still equals 100,000 cfs. Simple mathematics for the Einsteins spouting gibberish on this article. If anything the water is less forceful coming from 2 points than slamming 100,000 CFS thru a river bed that in summer is lucky to have 15,000. Learned that in school and not University my ill informed friends

mrs o in sk
Ok for sure i bet i dont get my comment on here, but here goes,, all you negative folks out there, here is a message from a person who used to live in downtown winnipeg for years and witnessed the flood of the century, all of you who say move to higher ground, well where in manitoba do you get higher ground, manitoba is a gorgeous province in the south and the red river when she doesnt spill her banks is also gorgeous, shame on you for your negative input when all are suffering so bad, they didnt ask for it, but they farm that land, raise cattle on that land and so forth, do you eat bread drink milk eat meat where do you think it comes from, yes down there, so help out or as my son says zip it,, you have no idea what you are talking about,,love and prayers to all affected by the flood, and thanks to ctv and the free press for their webcams, you guy are the best, i can watch from saskatchewan, and yes i will be donating something to help, i know that pain, love to everyone affected, also love to my sis in pembina north dakota wish ya all the best.

Mr. Dry Socks Winnipeg
The Province of Manitoba has just announced that all residents in Red River Valley will be provided Stilts and really Big 4 x 4's that float so we don't get our socks wet.. It is ludicrous to put good tax dollars into the auto sector when the CEO is making millions, the employee's make a good buck and build crappy cars. Survival of the fittest. Compete on the market, Don't build crap and the people will come. Now that is a stupid waste of money.