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Flood Report for Southern Manitoba - April 26, 2006

Water Information

FLOOD UPDATE FOR MANITOBA

April 26, 2006.

Red Deer Lake and Carrot River near Crest

Upper Assiniboine Rising

Flood sheets showing present conditions and an updated forecast for: Red River, Pembina River, Assiniboine River and Swan River - The Pas Area are attached.

Weather

• A few showers possible tomorrow night and Friday but no significant rain expected through the weekend.  

Red River

• Levels of the Red River declined between 0.3 and 0.5 feet in most rural areas during the 24 hour period ending this morning. Levels will continue to decline a little faster day by day based on continued dry weather. 

• The water is now expected to recede from PTH 75 north of Morris this weekend.

• The Red River level in downtown Winnipeg this morning was 17.85 feet, a decline of a tenth of a foot since yesterday. Levels in the City will continue to decline very slowly.

• The flow in the Red River Floodway this morning was 27,740 cubic feet per second (cfs) while the flow upstream of the Floodway Inlet was 74,970 cfs.

Assiniboine River

• The Assiniboine River is still within its banks from Oak Lake to Winnipeg due to operation of flood control works. Extensive flooding of valley lands continues from Shellmouth Dam to Millwood and minor overbank flows are occurring from St. Lazare to Virden. Levels from St. Lazare to Brandon will change little for the next few days but will begin to rise next week as higher flows arrive from the Shellmouth area. A shallow inundation of valley lands is expected from St. Lazare to Brandon for the next two to three weeks. Flooding from Shellmouth to Millwood will be more severe and will likely continue a little past the middle of May. These forecasts are based on favourable weather. Predicted peak stages are available on the attached spreadsheet.

• The water level in Shellmouth Reservoir this morning was 1410.25 feet, which is 1.75 feet above the spillway elevation. The reservoir inflow was 9700 cfs, a decline of 900 cfs from yesterday morning. The total outflow was 3900 cfs, of which 1400 cfs was going over the spillway. The reservoir water level is expected to crest at 1412.3 feet on May 2.

• Manitoba Water Stewardship, in consultation with the Shellmouth Reservoir Regulation Liaison Committee, is operating the reservoir to minimize the peak outflow. Controlled conduit outflows will be maintained at 2500 cfs until the total of conduit and spillway flows reaches 5000 cfs. The controlled conduit flow will then be reduced day by day to maintain a total outflow of 5000 cfs if possible. If inflows are a little lower than presently predicted, the peak outflow may be somewhat less than 5000 cfs. Reservoir and river conditions as well as forecasts are being reviewed day by day.

• Flooding is not expected in Brandon with the possible exception of low lying areas at Curren Park. Locations from Brandon to Winnipeg will experience only minor rises as the river remains well within the banks.  

• The flow in the Portage Diversion this morning was 3590 cfs while the inflow to Portage Reservoir was near 8840 cfs.

• Flooding of low-lying agricultural lands along the Shell River will continue for close to two weeks even with favourable weather. The Shell River has now crested at all points.   

Pembina River

• Significant flooding continues on the Pembina River from Rock Lake to Swan Lake, but levels continue to decline.

• Water levels at Gretna and at the Aux Marais crossing at the international boundary fell 0.5 feet since yesterday. The United States National Weather Service is expecting the level to decline 1.75 feet at Neche by May 3.

Carrot and Saskatchewan Rivers

• The level of the Saskatchewan River at The Pas continues to decline very slowly and no further rise is expected with favourable weather.

• Levels of the Carrot River from the Saskatchewan boundary to 12 miles west The Pas continue to rise slowly, with increases of 0.1 to 0.2 feet since yesterday. An additional rise of one-third of a foot with minor flooding is expected in this portion with crests near the end of this week. No further rise is expected within 10 miles of The Pas.

• Extensive flooding of agricultural lands in the Pasquia River Valley near The Pas continues with levels in some areas as high as those of the flood last autumn. Pumping to reduce water levels continues at maximum capacity.

Red Deer River

• The Red Deer River has crested at record high levels in the Manitoba portion upstream of Red Deer Lake. Long-term residents say that this flood is greater than that of 1955.

• The level on Red Deer Lake appears to be still rising as the gauge was found to be under water this morning. The gauge will be extended early tomorrow and so readings can resume. The Lake is presently near its crest. Heavy ice flows were observed in the outlet channel of the Lake this morning as lake ice is moving out.  The community of Red Deer Lake was evacuated last Sunday. It will take at least two weeks before levels decline sufficiently for the clean-up to commence.  

• Red River Flood Sheet - April 26, 2006

• Pembina River - April 26, 2006

• Assiniboine River - April 26, 2006

• Swan River - The Pas Area - April 26, 2006