Manitoba Water Stewardship reports water levels on the Waterhen River have stabilized.

 

·         The state of emergency declared by the community council remains in effect. 

·         The community of Waterhen is located near the river crossing at PR 328.  The Waterhen River has risen 3.65 feet since Nov. 9 at which time water levels were already unseasonably high.

·         Sixteen homes have been sandbagged in the community to date.   One home was overcome by flood water early in the incident.

·         Additional personnel from the surrounding communities joined efforts to sandbag today. 

·         A temporary earth dike surrounds the community school.  Frontier School Division has chosen to keep the school closed for one more day.

·         Three families have voluntarily left their residences and are staying with family or friends.

·         The Amphibex icebreaker will be put back into service tomorrow in an effort to relieve some of the water pressure downstream.

·         Levels north of PR 328 rose significantly from Sunday night through yesterday afternoon but have been declining very slowly since 6 p.m. yesterday.  Levels downstream of PR 328 declined from Sunday through yesterday and have been quite steady today.

·         Levels of the Waterhen River are expected to remain high throughout the winter.  Level fluctuations with possible further rises of one to two feet may occur during the next three to four weeks prior to a complete freeze-up.

·         Intergovernmental Affairs Minister Steven Ashton, minister responsible for the Manitoba Emergency Measures Organization (EMO), and Agriculture, Food and Rural Initiatives Minister Rosann Wowchuk toured the area today.

·         The flood operations are being co-ordinated through an incident command team staffed by community members with assistance from the Office of the Fire Commissioner, Manitoba EMO, Manitoba Water Stewardship, the Parkland Regional Health Authority and Manitoba Aboriginal and Northern Affairs.

·         Waterhen is an Aboriginal and Northern Affairs community of approximately 170 people located on a narrows between Waterhen Lake and Lake Manitoba.