A large snowfall in the United States may not mean an enhanced flood risk for Manitoba, says a local flood expert.
University of Manitoba civil engineer and flood expert Jay Doering told 680 CJOB Wednesday that he’s not worried – at this point – about the storm that could dump 60 cm of snow on South Dakota.
“I think we need to be careful and see how this storm tracks,” he said.
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“What I expect it might do – and we need to see the final trajectory of the storm – is that it may prolong the high-water levels, because there’ll be additional precipitation coming in behind it, that’s newly-arrived on land.”
Doering said he’s been watching hydrographs – which show the rate of a river’s flow (discharge) versus time – as they develop, and that Manitoba is likely looking at something lower than a 2009-level flood, as originally predicted.
“We’ve been blessed by the fact that we’ve had fairly cool-ish weather, clear skies, and lots of sunshine. That’s helped with sublimation. It’s helped thaw the ground, and it’s provided a place for the runoff to go other than into the river itself.”
WATCH: Ice flows cause Red River to swell
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