July 18, 2005

Flash flooding from Saturday’s storm in the Winnipeg area has subsided but streams in the heavy-rain area around the city remain high and water still covers many fields.

The area hardest hit was along a line from Sanford through south Winnipeg to Beausejour where 75 to 115 mm of rain fell. Many areas from Carberry east to Whitemouth and north to Winnipeg Beach received 35 to 65 mm. There was relatively little rain in areas south of a line through Morden, Ste. Agathe and Hadashville. Additional showers early this morning brought up to 35 mm to the Stony Mountain area north of Winnipeg. Flooding will gradually diminish this week unless additional rain develops. The Environment Canada forecast calls for little rain this week.

Levels of the Red River declined from 1.3 feet at Emerson to 0.6 feet at the floodway inlet in the last 24 hours.  Run-off from weekend rains had little impact on levels from Winnipeg through Selkirk.

• The level in downtown Winnipeg was 17.9 feet this morning and 755.6 feet at the floodway inlet.

• The flow in the Red River Floodway this morning was 5,800 cubic feet per second (cfs). Red River levels will continue to fall quickly from Emerson to Ste. Agathe due to minimal rain from Fargo to Ste. Agathe in the past 10 days. Levels from St. Adolphe to Selkirk will fall slowly.

• This was the greatest summer flood on record for the Red River.

The Assiniboine River is rising from Baie St. Paul to Winnipeg due to the heavy weekend rain, but operation of the Portage Diversion should keep the river within its banks.

• Portions from Spruce Woods to Portage la Prairie continue to experience minor flooding but are expected to hold steady for the next three days and then fall.

• The Assiniboine will continue to decline from Russell to Brandon. The flow in the Portage Diversion this morning was 8,200 cfs.

• This is the greatest summer flood of the Assiniboine River since 1954.

• Souris River levels will change very little in the next three days. Levels will begin falling slowly late this week. Flooding from the U.S. boundary to Hartney will continue for about three more weeks. Crests for this event were about two feet lower than those of May 1999 and are the second-highest rain-generated crests on record.

• The Pembina River continues to be above flood stage from Lorne Lake to La Rivière. Levels should continue to fall slowly. The level of Pelican Lake rose slightly due to the weekend rain but should resume falling slowly by tomorrow as maximum outflows from the lake are maintained.

• Levels of the Roseau River continue to decline.

• Levels of the Saskatchewan River fell 0.11 feet since yesterday morning and stood at 855.40 at Rall’s Island this morning.  Levels should continue to fall steadily this week.

• Flooding continues along the Winnipeg River and the level at Nutimik Lake this morning was 906.9 feet, a rise of 0.2 feet since yesterday due to the weekend rain. The normal summer level is 901.5 feet. The river is likely to remain above flood stage until mid-August even with favourable weather.

• Levels on the Bloodvein River east of Lake Winnipeg are the second-highest on record and slightly below the record set in the spring of 1979. The crest is expected in the next few days.

• Record high levels have been reported on the Wanipigow River system, which is located south of the Bloodvein River. This area received very heavy downpours last Monday morning and received at least 25 mm of rain this weekend. 

• High water levels continue to be experienced along the Nelson River due to high levels on Lake Winnipeg. Additional rises of close to half a foot are expected in some areas by early August as outflows from the lake rise to a crest at the end of July. Outflows on the lake continue to be at the maximum possible.

• Most lakes in southern Manitoba are at unusually high levels and some are near record high summer levels. A report on lake conditions in Manitoba was issued last Friday and is posted on the website at http://www.gov.mb.ca/waterstewardship/.

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