RM of St. Andrews - Flood Information

AFTER HOURS EMERGENCIES

If high water levels are impacting you or your property, please submit a service request so that the appropriate staff receive the request immediately and there is a record of the request being made and action taken. If it is an after hours emergency where your home is at immediate risk, call (204) 904-9286. Please always call 911 if you are in a life threatening situation.

Posted: February 27, 2025

MEDIA BULLETIN - MANITOBA - February 27, 2025 - Manitoba Transportation and Infrastructure’s Hydrologic Forecast Centre has released its February Flood Outlook Report, which indicates a low-to-moderate risk of significant spring flooding in most Manitoba basins.

Spring flood risk is largely dependent on weather conditions from now until the spring melt and throughout the spring.

Currently, there is a moderate risk of flooding along the Red, Assiniboine and Pembina rivers and in the Interlake region including the Fisher and Icelandic rivers. The risk of spring flooding is low along several other rivers, including the Roseau, Rat, Saskatchewan and Churchill rivers. Water levels are expected to remain below community flood protection levels. The risk of flooding is low for most Manitoba lakes throughout the spring period. Most lakes are expected to be within the desired operating ranges after the spring runoff.

The Red River Floodway and the Portage Diversion are only expected to be operated under unfavourable weather conditions. Additionally, minimal operation of the Portage Diversion may be necessary to mitigate ice-related water level rises on the lower Assiniboine River (from Portage la Prairie to Winnipeg).

The Shellmouth Reservoir is being operated in consultation with the Shellmouth liaison committee to reduce the risk of flooding downstream on the Assiniboine River, while also providing sufficient storage for water supply and recreation.

Manitoba Transportation and Infrastructure is conducting normal spring ice-cutting and breaking work along rivers to reduce ice-jam related flooding. Ice-cutting and breaking is currently underway on the Red River. Ice-cutting and breaking will start along the Icelandic River once breaking is completed along the Red River.

The Manitoba government, local authorities and First Nations communities are proactively preparing for any spring flooding. This includes reviewing emergency plans, information sharing between governments and preparing resources used in flood responses.

The 2025 spring flood outlook report is available at: www.gov.mb.ca/floodinfo/pdf/2025/february_2025_flood_outlook_report.pdf.

The next flood outlook is anticipated to be released in late March.

Posted: December 18, 2024

The 2024 Manitoba Basins Fall Conditions Report describes the hydrologic conditions of Manitoba basins at the time of freeze-up. The 2024 Fall Conditions Report describes the current state of two hydrologic factors for which data is available at the time of reporting.

These two known factors covered in this report are the soil moisture at the time of freeze-up and base flows in rivers and water levels on lakes prior to freeze-up. The report also contains long term forecasted winter precipitation as a general indication of probable future weather and forecasted flows and levels throughout the winter for various rivers and lakes.

Below is an overview highlighting the information that would be most relevant.

2024 Precipitation and Soil Moisture at Freeze up

• Most basins received near normal to below normal precipitation throughout the summer and fall of 2024; except for parts of southern Manitoba and the Red River basin in the northern United States that received above normal to well above normal precipitation and northwestern Manitoba, including areas near The Pas that received below normal precipitation.
• Recorded precipitation from November 1 to December 9 was significantly higher than normal precipitation for nearly every basin in Manitoba, Saskatchewan, Ontario, and the Red and Souris river basins in the United States with some basins receiving the highest amount of precipitation on recent record, dating back to 1981.
• Soil moisture is generally near normal to below normal for most Manitoba basins, except for portions of the Red River basin in Manitoba and the United States, which have above normal to well above normal soil moisture, and portions of northwestern Manitoba, which have well below normal soil moisture conditions.
• Near normal to below normal soil moisture levels thus far indicate a potential for near normal to below normal spring runoff within these river basins; however, the extent of spring runoff is still largely dependent on future weather conditions, including the amount of winter and spring precipitation, as well as snow melt conditions.

River Flows and Lake Levels

• Base flows and levels on most Manitoba rivers are near normal for this time of the year.
• Lake Manitoba is within its operating range of 810.5 ft – 812.5 ft.
• Lake Winnipeg is within its operating range of 711 ft – 715 ft.
• Lake St. Martin is within its operating range of 797.0 ft – 800.0 ft.
• Dauphin Lake is operating just above its operating range of 853.0 ft – 854.8 ft and is tracking 0.7 feet above normal for this time of year.
• Lake Winnipegosis and Whiteshell Lakes are currently tracking near normal conditions for this time of the year.
• Inflow into Lake of the Prairies (Shellmouth Reservoir) is tracking near normal condition for this time of the year.
• The Shellmouth dam is being operated in consultation with the Shellmouth Reservoir Regulation Liaison Committee to drawdown the reservoir in preparation of spring runoff.

Long-term Precipitation Outlook

• Environment and Climate Change Canada’s latest long-term precipitation forecast indicates a potential for above normal precipitation from December to February for most Manitoba basins.
• Global weather prediction centres indicate that a weak La Nina climate condition is expected to persist through the winter and spring.
• The effect of La Nina is variable across the globe, but generally, for Manitoba, it is characterized by below-normal temperatures and above-normal precipitation from December to March.

Forecasted Winter Flows and Levels

• Lake Winnipeg is expected to be near 712.5 feet by the end of March
• Lake Manitoba is expected to remain near 811.4 feet throughout the winter.
• Flows and levels on the Assiniboine, Red, Waterhen, Fairford, and Dauphin rivers are forecasted to remain at near normal in the period prior to the spring runoff.
• Lake Winnipegosis will remain near the current level of 830.4 feet throughout the winter.
• Lake St. Martin is expected to be near 799.0 feet before the spring runoff.

Emergency Management

• Manitoba Emergency Management Organization continues to review current operating procedures to ensure effective and efficient operations for the upcoming hazard season. This includes:
  • Providing continuous coordination and collaboration with emergency management stakeholders.
  • Maintain overall situational awareness by disseminating relevant up to date information.
  • Providing education opportunities to local authorities and emergency management partners.
  • Providing guidance and support to local authorities and emergency management partners throughout the province on preparedness and response related activities.
  • Preparing for the annual spring conditions seminars with key partners.

The Hydrologic Forecast Centre will continue working collaboratively with Environment and Climate Change Canada, the National Weather Service and flood forecasters in neighbouring jurisdictions to monitor watershed conditions and winter precipitation patterns.

A detailed flood outlook will be published with updated information towards the end of February when further precipitation and other factors are available.

To read the full 2024 Fall Conditions Report, visit: https://gov.mb.ca/floodinfo/pdf/2024/2024_fall_conditions_report.pdf.

Duty Officer  

Manitoba Emergency Management Organization