Assiniboine, Souris rivers on rise as overland floods subside in Manitoba

While overland flooding is subsiding across parts of southern Manitoba, the Assiniboine River is expected to peak soon in the city of Brandon.

Manitoba's Hydrologic Forecast Centre said a flood warning remains in effect for the upper Assiniboine River from the Shellmouth Dam to Holland, and the river is expected to peak in Brandon Monday.

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There is a risk of ice jamming in the Saskatchewan River at The Pas, and a high water advisory is in place for the Carrot River near The Pas.

Flood officials said the Assiniboine and Souris rivers may peak at the same time at the Portage Reservoir.

As of Monday morning flow levels had reached 19,000 cubic feet per second in the Portage Diversion channel, while downstream flows on the Assiniboine River were at 13,000 cfs, said Doug McMahon, Manitoba Infrastructure assistant deputy minister of water management.

McMahon said flows through the Portage Reservoir couldhit 43,000 cfs between Wednesday and Thursday.

"Preparations are underway along the diversion to handle emergency flows above the designed capacity of 25,000 cfs," McMahon said, adding levels could be above that maximum threshold for about five days.

A flood watch remains in effect for the area between Portage la Prairie and Headingley and a warning remains in effect for Pelican Lake, but it is near crest.

Sandbagging and other temporary flood protection measures were put in place over the weekend in municipalities along the lower Assiniboine River.

"A lot of hard work went in on the weekend and the work continues in the lower Assiniboine municipalities to get the flood defences in place," said Lee Spencer, Manitoba's assistant deputy minister of emergency measures.

Emergency officials in Brandon say they don't expect anyone will need to leave their homes.

Seventeen communities have declared states of emergency in Manitoba and 332 people have been forced to leave their homes, Spencer said.All but six evacuees are from flooded or at-risk First Nation communities, he added.

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