Manitoba slows down release of water from Assiniboine River

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May 17, 2011 ARCHIVES  |  Weather  |  NEWS

Vittorio Hernandez - AHN News

Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada (AHN) - Manitoba officials went ahead and pushed through with the plan to release water from the swollen Assiniboine River on Saturday. However, officials slowed the rate of release from the original plan of 3,000 cubic feet per second to less than 500.

Manitoba Emergency Measures Organization Minister Steve Ashton told the province's legislature on Monday that the controlled release of water will likely not go beyond 1,000 cubic feet per second in the coming days.

He explained that dry, sunny weather has helped flood fighters stabilize the inundation in the Canadian province.

The government released the water at the Hoop and Holler Bend to ease pressure on the dikes weakened by the high level of water and to prevent more widespread damage if the dike blew. The released water flowed southeast of the Hoop and Holler Bend and has so far flooded three homes, Ashton disclosed.

Flood controllers continue to monitor about 20 weak spots on dikes along the river west of Portage la Prairie.

The flood has so far displaced 3,600 Manitobans. To help the province cope with the inundation, Ottawa sent 1,500 Canadian Forces to help strengthen the dikes through sandbagging operations.

Copyright 2011 by (AHN)
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Controlled flooding plan worries Manitoba rural official

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May 11, 2011 ARCHIVES  |  Weather  |  NEWS

Vittorio Hernandez - AHN News

Portage la Prairie, Manitoba, Canada (AHN) - A municipal official of the town of Portage la Prairie in the Canadian province of Manitoba is worried over the controlled flooding plan by the government to prevent more water from inundating the area.

Kam Blight, an elected county chief executive of Portage, expressed concerns over the controlled flood plan is on the lack of assurance that the water will flow to where officials want it to move.

This would mean the sacrifice of land, homes and businesses of about 150 families and 225 square kilometers (140 square miles) to save another 850 houses and 500 sq. km. (310.7 sq. m.) from further inundation, Blight said on Tuesday.

The plan would involve creating an outlet in the Assiniboine River near Portage la Prairie to relieve some of the pressure from the river, which continues to rise. A 65-meter (213.2-feet) wide hole will be made at the stretch of highway called Hoop and Holler Bend.

The hole will allow water at the rate of 2,000 to 6,000 cubic feet per second to move across a muddy market-garden plot, over a gravel road and to the front of a residence owned by Sandor Arendse, an onion farmer. After the release of the water, workers will place limestone and river stone at the hole to prevent the river from creating a larger spillway.

The continuous rise of the river had leader town officials in the flood-hit province to declare states of emergency in their area. Ottawa deployed soldiers to help local authorities cope with the swelling of the Assiniboine River.

Copyright 2011 by (AHN)
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