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Red River Valley Flood Protection

What is the Canada-Manitoba Partnership Agreement on Red River Valley Flood Protection?

On April 1, 1999, the federal and Manitoba governments signed the Canada-Manitoba Partnership Agreement on Red River Valley Flood Protection. This four-year, $100 million program followed the previous $30 million Canada-Manitoba agreement on the 1997 Red River Valley Flood Proofing and Dike Enhancement.

The aim of the program is to minimize damages in the Red River Valley from future events similar to the flood of 1997.

In 2003, this program was extended until March 31, 2005.

What is the Canada-Manitoba Agreement on the Manitoba Floodway Expansion?

In April 2003, the governments of Canada and Manitoba announced $160 million for the Manitoba Floodway Expansion under the Canada Strategic Infrastructure Fund. In August 2003, a further $80 million was announced, for a total contribution of $240 million. Work on the expanded floodway project is expected to generate hundreds of millions of dollars in economic benefits for the Province of Manitoba.

The Red River program is an example of mitigation work in federal legislation. This means that instead of simply offering compensation after the fact, the program will help reduce damages - in both social and economic terms - from major floods in the future. Funds delivered through the program will ultimately save taxpayer dollars and improve residents' quality of life.

What's the WD Connection?

Federal funds for the Canada-Manitoba Partnership Agreement on Red River Valley Flood Protection are administered through WD.

WD is currently exploring a possible role in the administration of the Canada-Manitoba Agreement on the Manitoba Floodway Expansion.

What's been accomplished?

Under the Canada-Manitoba Partnership Agreement on Red River Valley Flood Protection, the federal and provincial governments are working closely with municipalities and residents of the Red River Valley on a number of flood protection and preparedness measures, including:

• Over $70 million toward the diking or raising of individual homes and businesses in the valley.
• Over $40 million for the ring diking of rural communities in the flood prone area. Eight community dikes have been completed or are under construction, and there are plans to build another seven.
• $11.1 million to enhance the integrity of the secondary diking system within the City of Winnipeg. Under this program, up to 800 Winnipeg homes were considered for enhanced flood protection.
• Over $6 million for a number of enhancements to existing flood protection infrastructure, including:
• Enhancement of the West Dike to 1997 flood levels, plus extension of the West Dike to Brunkild
• Enhancements to some existing community ring dike systems
• Inspection and repairs to the gates at the floodway control structure
• Repairs to the downstream apron at the floodway control structure
• Inspection and repairs at the Portage Diversion control structure
• $1.5 million to improve the flood forecasting network of the Red River Valley. Forty-seven existing water-gauging stations were upgraded and 37 new stations were built.
• The program also helped complete a 350-station climatological network in Manitoba that will gather data and improve flood forecasting.
• A four-year, $1 million scientific study of the long-term historical patterns of flooding in the Red River Valley.
• The City of Winnipeg developed a detailed flood activity/emergency plan to better prepare for future floods.
• Governments are considering or will consider requirements in future infrastructure investments. For example, 1997 flows in the floodway were approaching the elevation of bridge decks. When these bridges need to be replaced, they could be constructed at higher elevations to consider potential flood levels.

What's on the horizon?

The Manitoba Floodway project will be an ongoing mitigation project. WD will continue to play a role in its administration.

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