The Manitoba government says it expects to open the Portage Diversion in the next few days to manage water levels on the Lower Assiniboine River.
The Hydrologic Forecast Centre says the move will also help prevent ice jams during spring break-up.
The daily email you need for
's top news stories.
It says an icebreaking machine has been operating in select areas of the 29-kilometre diversion channel that runs from Portage La Prairie to Winnipeg and redirects some water from the Assinboine into Lake Manitoba.
The forecast centre says the Red River Floodway is also expected to be in operation next week as the outlook for high water in the Red River valley continues to be at or slightly less than 2009 flood levels.