The spring peak of the Red River is expected in Winnipeg before April 9-16. However, the rainfall Manitoba has seen over the past two days, along with the gradual melting of snow in river basins, could raise levels above their banks in some locations within the Red River Valley, province in a press release on Wednesday. . Two days ago, county flood forecasters called for the river to peak between 17.3 and 18.3 feet above the normal winter ice level on James Avenue in Winnipeg. The level was at 14.7 feet at the time. It reached 16.4 feet on Tuesday and was at 18.3 feet late Wednesday morning. The normal level in summer, long after the runoff is removed from the melting snow, is 6.5 feet. The Portage diversion gates will open on Wednesday to clear ice in the diversion canal as part of preparations for the operation of the pavement. With the operation of the roadway, the level of the Red River in Winnipeg on James Avenue is expected to peak between 17.4 and 18.4 feet between April 10 and 16, the province said on Wednesday. The county uses the Red River Floodway – a 47-kilometer canal between St. Norbert and Lockport stretching along the eastern edge of Winnipeg – to divert part of the Red Stream and maintain a manageable level in the city in times of flooding. It has not been activated yet because there is still some ice heading towards Winnipeg and the flood entrance south of the city. If ice stones are allowed to enter the canal, there is a risk of blocking and causing water to be sucked in and suddenly overflowing or hitting the St. Paul Bridge. Mary’s Road and cause structural damage. As a result of the river level, the low houses along the river see the water entering. Parts of Crescent Drive, which curves through Crescent Drive Park at a bend in the river in the Fort Garry neighborhood of Winnipeg, are under water. Highway 204 from Highway 212 to Selkirk, which marks another turn of the river north of Winnipeg, has been closed for the same reason, the province said in a press release. Shortly afterwards, it also announced the closure of Highway 247 west of Highway 75 for 100 meters, south of the city. In late March, the city identified 16 properties that are at risk of flooding and may need sandbags. The floodplain, built after the catastrophic 1950 floods in Winnipeg, has since been credited with rescuing the city from major floods 20 times, most notably in 1979 and 1997. Since it was built, most floods within the city limits have been just below 20 feet – with the exception of 1997 and 2009. After the flood of ’97, the province started a huge project to expand the flood route, allowing it to accommodate larger volumes of water.
