Flood bulletin: flood watch has been issued for the upper Assiniboine River from Shellmouth Dam to Brandon

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The following is the latest flood bulletin issued by the province. . .

Summary

* The Red River has crested in Winnipeg.  The forecast crest was 19 feet at James Avenue in Winnipeg.  It reached 19.17 ft. at 2 a.m., elevated due to a surge in flows along the Red River when the ice released south of Winnipeg.

* The weather forecast calls for heavy rains in the next 24 hours to the west of Winnipeg along the Assiniboine River:
- up to 40 millimetres in the Yorkton, Sask. area;
- up to 30 mm in the Brandon area;
- 20 to 30 mm may be recorded in the American portion of the Red River Valley north of Grand Forks; and
- five to eight mm may be recorded in the Winnipeg area.

* The impacts of the rainfall will be assessed.

* A flood watch has been issued for the upper Assiniboine River from Shellmouth Dam to Brandon.
- Water levels are approaching bank full in many reaches of the river and there is a chance lowlying land adjacent to the river may be flooded.
- Any flooding in the Brandon area will be well below the flood protection level.

Red River

* At this time, without a heavy rainstorm, operation of the Red River Floodway gates is unlikely.  Water was naturally entering the floodway at a rate of approximately 4,750 cubic feet per second (cfs) this morning, providing some flood protection benefit inside the city.

* There is localized overland flooding of low-lying land north of Winnipeg.  PR 204 from PR 212 to Selkirk has been closed.

*  The ice jam on the Red River that was at Selkirk yesterday has moved downstream and is now located between PTH 4 and Sugar Island.
- The ice jam is impeding flow and causing higher water levels upstream.
- The ice jam is expected to release and move further downstream in the next 24 hours.


Assiniboine River

* The Portage Diversion is being operated to reduce the risk of ice jams on the lower Assiniboine River as per established protocols.  Flow on the diversion is 5,500 cfs.

* A high water advisory has been issued for the lower Red River and Netley Creek in the Petersfield area due to the potential for ice jams.  When the ice jam that is located near PTH 4 moves, further ice jams are expected in the Netley Creek area which may cause water level rises at Petersfield.


Interlake, Eastern Manitoba and Whitemud River

* A high water advisory continues for streams in the Interlake region due to the existing snowpack, the expected melt rate and the potential for ice jams and associated flooding.

* A high water advisory continues for the Whitemud River from Gladstone to Lake Manitoba due to increasing tributary flows and ice runs.

* A high water advisory is continued for streams in eastern Manitoba, east of the Red River and south of the Winnipeg River, due to a significant snowpack, an expected rapid rate of melt and the potential for ice jams and associated flooding.

* The Whitemouth and Brokenhead rivers have seen rises as a result of the run-off.

People are reminded:

* to be watchful of local waterways as flood conditions can develop quickly and ice conditions may be unsafe,

* to avoid crossing areas with broken ice and surface water,

* not to drive or walk through fast-moving water, and

* to call 511 to check road conditions before travelling.

Questions or concerns about flooding or water management should be directed first to the municipal authority.  Anyone with questions about water levels, provincial waterways or provincial water control infrastructure can call 204-945-8373 between 8 a.m. and 4 p.m., seven days a week.

Manitoba news release