There’s a low to moderate risk for flooding on most Manitoba rivers and basins this spring, according to the province’s latest flood outlook.
Manitoba’s February spring flood outlook, released Tuesday, forecasts a moderate risk of flooding on the Assiniboine and Red rivers, as well as along the Fisher and Icelandic rivers.
But the risk is generally low along several other rivers, including the Souris, Roseau, Rat and Pembina, where provincial flood forecasters are predicting water levels to remain below community flood protection levels, the outlook says.
Forecasters say there is also a low risk for flooding for most other Manitoba basins, including the Saskatchewan River, Whiteshell lakes area and northern Manitoba.
With the exceptions of Dauphin Lake and Lake St. Martin, most Manitoba lakes, including Lake Winnipeg and Lake Manitoba, are projected to remain within operating ranges after the spring runoff, according to the outlook.
Forecasters note that the risk for spring flooding is largely dependent on weather conditions from now until the spring melt starts.
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Manitoba Infrastructure and Transportation’s Hydrologic Forecast Centre says it expects that the Red River Floodway will be put into operation in the spring with unfavourable future weather conditions.
Officials also say they expect some operation of the Portage Diversion to prevent ice jamming on the Assiniboine River.
Meanwhile, ice-cutting and breaking work along the Red and Icelandic rivers has begun to reduce ice jam-related flooding.
Ice-cutting and breaking work is not happening on the Assiniboine River this spring due to a lower risk of ice jam-related flooding, the province said.