The controlled release of water from the Assiniboine River southeast of Portage la Prairie will not happen until Saturday, May 14. Flood officials said Thursday the delay is due to dikes being built up on the Portage Diversion and the weather cooperating.
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When the controlled release at Hoop and Holler Bend on Highway 331 does occur, flows will begin at 500 cubic feet per second (cfs) and then be reassessed and modified as necessary. Eventually, flows would get up to between 2,500 and 3,000 cfs over the following days.
The delay is welcome news to those living in the affected areas and rural municipalities, who say they now have more time to prepare themselves for the potential of being flooded out.
The controlled release will potentially affected 150 homes, but save roughly 800 homes if an uncontrolled release were to occur.
It’s not expected to adversely have an impact on communities as far as Starbuck, Sanford and La Salle. But precautionary measures along the river in those areas are being taken just in case.
On Thursday, students in Elie, Manitoba helped sandbag Saint Paul’s Collegiate and homes in the community, as flood waters are expected after the release takes place. Elie is on the further end of the scale, however, and will not see as much water as areas closer to the swollen Portage Diversion.
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