SELKIRK– It happens every year but this time it has residents and Selkirk officials on edge.
A massive ice jam stretching five kilometres long on the Red River north of Selkirk is causing water levels to rise.
“This reminds me a lot of 2007,” Selkirk Mayor Larry Johnannson said. “That’s when we had little snow left when a massive ice jam caused flooding.”
In 2007, ice caused extensive flooding to homes and caused the community to evacuate several properties including the seniors complexes.
Over the weekend, the Selkirk bridge closed when an ice jam caused water to spill over the roadway. A motorist had to be rescued from the roof of his car when he got stranded on the roadway as the water rose quickly. The driver was treated for hyperthermia at the local hospital and released. His car was swept away into the river. Levels have since gone down and the bridge could reopen this week.
VIDEO: Global’s Lorraine Nickel heads to Selkirk to check out causing water levels to rise
The concern is downstream north of Selkirk.
Mayor Johnannson said currently there aren’t any homes in danger because many houses were raised after the 1996 flood. He said if the ice doesn’t start moving soon, with a lot more water coming from the south, they could be in trouble.
“Hopefully we got the big guy upstairs and he’ll move this ice for us,” Johnannson said. “All we can do is sit and wait.”
The province sent out a media release Monday is response to the ice jam.
“There is currently an ice jam on the Red River downstream of Selkirk, in the vicinity of Peltz Drive and McIvor Lane, causing levels to rise on the Red River,” the media release stated.
“The ice jam is caused by the narrow river channel in the area.”
The province said officials are monitoring the situation and will consider use of the Amphibex ice breakers if conditions let them.
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