WINNIPEG – Low-lying land near the Assiniboine River is flooding between the Shellmouth Dam and St. Lazare, Man., as the province increases flows to lower the Shellmouth Reservoir.
The Manitoba Hydrologic Forecast Centre planned to increase flows from the dam from 2,500 cubic feet per second Tuesday to 3,500 cubic feet per second by 9 a.m. Wednesday, causing the Assiniboine to rise two to four feet. The water is expected to crest Wednesday to Friday.
The peak level downstream of St. Lazare will be lower than the crest in early April, the forecast centre predicted.
RELATED: Manitoba ramps up for flood fight as snow, ice melt
Water levels are expected to drop below the river bank by the end of April.
The Shellmouth reservoir and dam near the Saskatchewan border is used to control flows along the Assiniboine and protect communities including Brandon, Portage la Prairie and Winnipeg from flooding.
RELATED: River runs through it: flooded Manitoba village feels ‘ignored’
The current release of water is being done to allow the province to potentially avert flooding during the Prairie growing season, when farmers’ crops can be threatened by water, a news release from the province said.
The flow into the reservoir is still significantly higher than the outflow, at 6,800 cubic feet per second. The higher outflow will help slow the rise in the reservoir level, which was at 427.97 metres on Tuesday.
Comments