Floodwatch

[1ajs]

well its not even 2011 and were already sounding the alarm could be an interesting spring ahead


Winnipeg Free Press - PRINT EDITION
Another flood of the century?

Heavy rainfall, snow lead premier to sound the alarm

By: Bruce Owen
Posted: 2/12/2010 1:00 AM | Comments: 45


Premier Greg Selinger is sounding the alarm about the risk of widespread flooding this spring and has already put Prime Minister Stephen Harper on notice about the looming threat.
Much of the soil in southern Manitoba is still saturated from unprecedented summer and fall rain, meaning if the snow melts too quickly in April it can't be absorbed by the ground.


It's the same in North Dakota, where Fargo is experiencing its 10th-wettest fall on record.
That moisture in the ground -- more of a threat than the piles of snow above it -- has provincial flood fighters fearing we could see a spring flood on the scale of the Flood of the Century in 1997.
That year, a large area south of Winnipeg was covered in water and the army had to be called in to help.
"I wanted the prime minister to know about it, because it's something we need to be on top of," Selinger said Wednesday. "We're also looking at what additional resources we're going to need."
He said while it's still too early to predict a spring flood, adding to the concern is the amount of snow that fell so quickly last month.
With a couple of major dumps in November, Winnipeg has already seen more than two-thirds of the total amount of snow that fell last winter.
Meanwhile, water-filled culverts outside the city have already started freezing, creating the potential for overland flooding when the snow melts and there's simply nowhere for the runoff to go.
"The ground is saturated and there's lots of early snow," Selinger said. "We're off to a start that makes us realize that we need early planning. Early planning lets people take a look at where the risks are... where the hot spots are in Manitoba."
Selinger said he wrote to Harper because emergency measures are handled jointly by the two levels of government. Ottawa has also been involved in some of the flood-protection initiatives in southern Manitoba since the 1997 flood.
That same planning is happening south of the border, where river flows were already higher than normal before winter kicked in.
The Fargo Forum website reported this week eight of the 14 wettest falls on record in Fargo have been followed by major spring floods. Fargo's wettest fall on record was in 2008, which preceded the 2009 Red River flood that nearly deluged that North Dakota city.
Selinger said flood fighters are watching all areas of the province where there's been a lot of rainfall during the summer and fall. From May to September -- the wettest period in 30 years -- precipitation for southern Manitoba and the Interlake was 160 per cent above normal. That doesn't include the late-October storm that dumped up to 85 millimetres of rain.
Steve Topping, executive director of the infrastructure and operations division of Manitoba Water Stewardship, said the spring flood potential is high, simply because the ground is so soggy.
"We could have normal winter snowpack now and still get a significant flood," he said.
Selinger also said additional money in the spring budget may be aimed at the flood fight.
The province has already amassed a huge number of tube dams -- dams filled with water that double as sandbag dikes -- to protect low-lying homes and properties.
Rural municipalities have also purchased special torches to unfreeze culverts so spring runoff doesn't back up.
The province is also looking at buying a third, larger Amphibex icebreaking machine that in summer months can double as a river and lake dredger.
Provincial officials have said they'll have a better idea of spring flood conditions in February or early March when they know how thick river ice is and how it will break up in the spring. Icebreaking operations on the Red River north of Winnipeg start in March.
Officials from Manitoba and the U.S. meet Jan. 18 in Fargo to talk about long-term flood prevention and other issues at the 28th annual Red River Basin Land and Water International Summit Conference.
bruce.owen@freepress.mb.ca

Republished from the Winnipeg Free Press print edition December 2, 2010 A3






Snow by the numbers

110.6 cm
The average snowfall for an entire winter in Winnipeg
21.4 cm
The average snowfall for November in Winnipeg
55.6 cm
The amount of snow that fell on Winnipeg this November (an additional one centimetre fell in October)
80 cm
The total amount of snow that fell last winter
1.4 cm
The amount of snow on the ground in November 2009
15 cm
The amount of snow on the ground in November 2008
62.8 cm
The amount of snow on the ground in November 1996
80.3 cm
The record snowfall for November, set in 1955
Source -- Environment Canada

[RTD]

Sigh. Can you PLEASE make an effort to show some professionalism and capitalize F in the title of this thread. If you can't, then can one of the mods PLEASE do this?

Thanks.

[Ruckus]

^ I'm only doing this once, and only because you asked so politely

[RTD]

Originally Posted by Ruckus

^ I'm only doing this once, and only because you asked so politely

Thanks, but this is why we need a more dedicated Manitoba moderator, who can keep an eye on things on a daily basis. Otherwise, the Manitoba posts suffer, as we have seen here.

[Riverman]

Another year, another flood, another big mess in my back yard. I'm at a pretty high elevation but others on my street are not and there will be a bunch of sandbags I'm sure. Scotia will be a disaster me thinks.

I was in Elm Creek in early November and did a tour of some of my friend's lands. The ditches were running like rivers with big rapids and even small waterfalls. We saw three large road washouts that he had crews repairing. Water covered fields everywhere. It's very scary - this all has to come through my back yard.

[Bdog]

Originally Posted by Riverman

Another year, another flood, another big mess in my back yard. I'm at a pretty high elevation but others on my street are not and there will be a bunch of sandbags I'm sure. Scotia will be a disaster me thinks.

I was in Elm Creek in early November and did a tour of some of my friend's lands. The ditches were running like rivers with big rapids and even small waterfalls. We saw three large road washouts that he had crews repairing. Water covered fields everywhere. It's very scary - this all has to come through my back yard.

Is this why you are called Riverman...

[1ajs]

Winnipeg Free Press - PRINT EDITION
High-water advisory on Assiniboine, tributaries

By: Staff Writer
Posted: 4/12/2010 1:00 AM
Ice jams on the Assiniboine River have prompted a high-water advisory for the length of the river and its tributaries, from the Shellmouth Dam/Russell area to the RM of Headingley.
Communities in the Assiniboine Valley, especially in low-lying areas such as Russell, St. Lazare, Miniota and Brandon, should be aware that ice-related flooding could occur, said Manitoba Water Stewardship's Hydrologic Forecast Centre.
The threat of ice-jam flooding is expected to continue on the main river and some larger tributaries like the Souris and the Little Saskatchewan rivers until the freezing process stabilizes.
Republished from the Winnipeg Free Press print edition December 4, 2010 A10

[VANRIDERFAN]

Originally Posted by 1ajs

Winnipeg Free Press - PRINT EDITION
High-water advisory on Assiniboine, tributaries

By: Staff Writer
Posted: 4/12/2010 1:00 AM
Ice jams on the Assiniboine River have prompted a high-water advisory for the length of the river and its tributaries, from the Shellmouth Dam/Russell area to the RM of Headingley.
Communities in the Assiniboine Valley, especially in low-lying areas such as Russell, St. Lazare, Miniota and Brandon, should be aware that ice-related flooding could occur, said Manitoba Water Stewardship's Hydrologic Forecast Centre.
The threat of ice-jam flooding is expected to continue on the main river and some larger tributaries like the Souris and the Little Saskatchewan rivers until the freezing process stabilizes.
Republished from the Winnipeg Free Press print edition December 4, 2010 A10

Does the writer and editor at the Free Press not know that the Assiniboine river is about 8 miles west of the town of Russell?

[h0twired]

Originally Posted by VANRIDERFAN

Does the writer and editor at the Free Press not know that the Assiniboine river is about 8 miles west of the town of Russell?

Do you know what a tributary is?

I have a feeling you don't.

[VANRIDERFAN]

Originally Posted by h0twired

Do you know what a tributary is?

I have a feeling you don't.

Have you ever been to Russell? I have a feeling you haven't.

[1ajs]

Originally Posted by VANRIDERFAN

Have you ever been to Russell? I have a feeling you haven't.

brandon has had 103cm's of snow

[1ajs]

Likelihood of significant Red River flooding rises in N. Dakota, Minnesota
By: The Associated Press
Posted: 01/18/2011 10:48 AM

FARGO, N.D. - The National Weather Service says the likelihood of significant Red River flooding has risen in North Dakota and Minnesota.
The agency in its latest flood outlook Tuesday said there is about a 20-per cent chance the river at Fargo and neighbouring Moorhead, Minn., will surpass the record crest set in 2009.
It also says there's about a 50-per cent chance it will beat last year's crest, which was the sixth-highest on record.
The outlook says the river is almost certain to surpass "major" flood stage in Fargo-Moorhead.
The Weather Service previously calculated those odds at less than 60 per cent in December.
Forecasters say the probability has increased for several reasons, including above-normal water in the snowpack in the southern river valley and an expected wet spring.
http://www.winnipegfreepress.com/bre...114139499.html

[1ajs]

Plan in works to subsidize cost of installing sump pumps, backwater valves

By: Bartley Kives
Posted: 01/19/2011 10:03 AM

The province and Manitoba municipalities are working on a plan to subsidize the cost of installing sump pumps and backwater valves before an expected spring flood.
Local Government Minister Ron Lemieux and Winnipeg Mayor Sam Katz said this morning their governments are working on a plan to offer financial incentives for homeowners who have yet to install the flood-protection measures.

The program will also be offered to other Manitoba municipalities, Lemieux said. Provincial officials are working out the details and hope to have the incentives ready in time for homeowners to prepare for this year’s flood.
Katz told reporters he believes the program will subsidize about 60 per cent of the cost of installing sump pumps and backwater valves in Winnipeg. Lemieux said he is not certain of the amount just yet.
Every Winnipeg home should have valves and pumps as protection against sewer backups and overland flooding, Katz said.
Lemieux said a formal announcement will come as soon as the plan is completed.
http://www.winnipegfreepress.com/bre...er-valves.html

[drew]

Plan in works to subsidize cost of installing sump pumps, backwater valves

^ This is a good idea IMO.

Totally unrelated, but the city should also consider a subsidy program to replace or upgrade foundations within the 100 year old housing stock in the older city suburbs. This is a serious issue that will ultimately end up with the loss of a high percentage of inner city homes over the next few decades.

[rrskylar]

^ It's a great idea if your a plumber because the cost of backwater valve/ sump pump installations just went from $800 to $2000. Typical lame brain idea from your city of Winnipeg and your province of MB.

[drew]

^ well I tend to assume the good in people, so hopefully not all plumbers are assholes.

[rrskylar]

Actually there is a better incentive to initiate the installation of a backwater valve and sump pump on your own: it will prevent your basement from getting flooded.

[1ajs]

U.S. snow spells major flood
Near-record forecasts worsen outlook; Manitoba to brief public Monday
By: Larry Kusch
Posted: 01/19/2011 1:00 AM

The snowbanks are high and the frozen soils are saturated south of the border, spelling potential flood grief for Manitobans this spring.
In its latest flood outlook, the U.S. National Weather Service said Tuesday there is a 20 per cent chance that the Red River at Fargo will surpass the record crest set there in 2009. And at Pembina, N.D., near the Manitoba border, it calculated there was a 70 per cent likelihood of a 2009-like flood.

That year, the crest on the Red at most points in Manitoba was the second-highest since 1852, exceeded only by 1997's Flood of the Century.
Fargo has already received 40 centimetres more snow than it normally gets in an entire winter, and other parts of North Dakota and neighbouring Minnesota that drain into the Red have also received mountains of snow.
Steve Topping, a senior official with Manitoba Water Stewardship, said in a conference call with reporters Tuesday the latest U.S. outlook "definitely confirms" the potential for serious flooding in southern Manitoba.
"I'll admit the flood potential is very high for the Assiniboine and the Red River basins," he said from Fargo, where he is attending, appropriately enough, an international conference on Red River basin flooding.
Topping said the Manitoba government will release its first spring flood forecast of the year at a news conference on Monday, incorporating the new U.S. data.
"We have much more work to do," he said.
Premier Greg Selinger will participate in next week's press conference, a government spokeswoman said Tuesday.
Manitoba officials have been well aware of the potential for significant spring flooding for several months. Soils are saturated from heavy 2010 rains that have caused rivers to swell and freeze at abnormally high levels.
This winter, considerably more snow than normal has fallen on both sides of the border.
Natalie Hasell, a meteorologist with Environment Canada, said Tuesday that Winnipeg has received 95.4 cm of the white stuff to date. The average city snowfall between Oct. 1 and Jan. 31 is 69.3 cm. Brandon has received 103.6 cm of snow so far this winter.

South of the border the situation has been worse. There, the Red River and Devils Lake basins are poised to receive twice their average annual snowfall by winter's end.
The National Weather Service said that the Red is almost certain to surpass the "major" flood stage in Fargo-Moorhead. In December, it calculated those odds at less than 60 per cent.
In addition to higher-than-expected snowfall this winter, U.S. forecasters are now predicting a wet spring for the region.
Topping said Monday's provincial forecast will assess the likelihood of flooding for several Manitoba rivers in addition to the Red. He said his department recently briefed municipal leaders on what the province was expecting as of early January.
"From this point on, Manitoba will mount the appropriate level of effort to fight this flood," the Water Stewardship official vowed.
Earlier this month, the province added a third Amphibex ice-breaking machine to its flood-fighting arsenal at a cost of $1.2 million. It will be used to prevent river ice jams from forming in spring.

-- With files from the Grand Forks Herald
larry.kusch@freepress.mb.ca
The bad news south of the border:

At Pembina, N.D., near the Manitoba border, there's a 70 per cent chance of a flood as severe as the major flood of 2009 and a 20 per cent probability of breaking the record crest set in 1997.

Residents in the Grand Forks area stand a 50 per cent chance of experiencing 2009-like flooding, while in Fargo, there's a 20 per cent chance the Red River will surpass the record crest set two years ago.

Fargo has already had 141.7 centimetres of snow this winter, or 40 cm more than it normally gets in an entire winter. The situation is similar in west-central Minnesota, southeastern North Dakota and portions of northeastern North Dakota.

-- Many of these same areas received 50 per cent more rain than normal last summer and fall, so lakes, rivers and streams south of the border froze at record high seasonal levels.

-- Source: U.S. National Weather Service
Republished from the Winnipeg Free Press print edition January 19, 2011 A3

http://www.winnipegfreepress.com/loc...114192399.html

[1ajs]

Winnipeg Free Press - ONLINE EDITION
Mayor to Winnipeggers: Don't make spring travel plans
Riverfront homeowners should prepare to sandbag, others to volunteer
By: Bartley Kives
Posted: 01/24/2011 4:05 PM

WINNIPEG - The City of Winnipeg is warning riverfront property owners not to make travel plans this spring, just in case the expected flood winds up being on the severe side of early forecasts.
Approximately 800 Winnipeg property owners should prepare for the possibility of sandbagging their homes and commercial properties this spring, and everyone in the city should expect to be called upon to help out in some form of volunteer effort, Mayor Sam Katz, emergency preparedness officer Randy Hull and water and waste director Barry MacBride told reporters this afternoon.

Earlier this afternoon, the province unveiled an early flood outlook that suggests normal weather conditions could produce a Red River Valley flood on the scale of the 2009 event – and bad weather could produce a 1997-scale flood.
Two hours later, Katz, Hull and MacBride told reporters the City of Winnipeg is preparing for the 1997-like flood situation, just to be safe, as well as the possibility of serious overland flooding and drainage problems during serious rainfall events.
The city is ordering millions of additional sandbag sleeves to go with the 800,000 in stock. Plans are being made to close drainage gates and activate pumps to protect the city’s sewer system from rising river levels.
Plans are also being made to contact property owners who will likely be affected, including those in usual trouble spots such as Kingston Crescent, Scotia Street and Cloutier Drive.
The city is also preparing evacuation centres to deal with people forced to flee river flooding or overland flooding elsewhere in Manitoba. Even if the City of Winnipeg’s defences are successful, it is extremely likely some other region of the province will be flooded out, city officials warned.
The stark warning should be taken as an effort to put Winnipeg property owners on notice and prepare for the spring, the officials said.
There is little property owners can do at this moment, other than ensure their homes are drained properly and install backwater valves and sump pumps. Details about a city-provincial subsidy program for those measures will be announced Tuesday.
Anyone whose property has been threatened by previous floods should make plans to ensure someone is taking care of their homes or businesses this spring, the officials warned.

http://www.winnipegfreepress.com/loc...114510389.html

[Runt]

Gotta side with Vanriderfan..
Russell is on top of the valley, for it to flood, well that would be Biblical.
Anyone on the valley floor might be in trouble but not that high up.

I travel I-29 weekly and i have to say I'm worried we might approach '97 levels this spring, there is just too much snow in the southern RR valley. With a wet spring we could be looking at some new record levels.