Grant Mohr with the City of Winnipeg speaks with media about the spring flood situation on Thursday, March 28, 2013. (CHRISD.CA)
Twenty-six low-lying Winnipeg properties will require sandbags this flood season, the city said on Thursday.
City staff have been preparing for flood potential for several weeks and plan to activate flood pumping stations, check flood control gates and set up temporary pumps.
“Once there is a significant rise in river levels, city crews will be contacting residents of these properties,” said Grant Mohr, Flood Planning Engineer with the city’s Water and Waste Department. “It is estimated that about 32,000 sandbags will be required for these properties.”
The affected areas are along Cloutier Drive in St. Norbert, Kilkenny Drive, Turnbull Drive, Rue des Trappistes, Forbes Road, Christie Road just off St. Mary’s Road, St. Mary’s near Guay Park, and St. Pierre Street. Further upstream, Lyndale Drive and Kingston Crescent could be affected.
At this time, the city doesn’t expect to put the call out for volunteer sandbaggers or open any evacuation centres once the spring melt increases.
During its second spring flood outlook, the city said under a worst case scenario with adverse weather conditions, the Red River could reach 20.5 feet at James Avenue. These levels are comparable to 2011, but could only reach 18.8 feet under normal conditions.
Earlier this week, the Manitoba government released its own flood outlook, calling for moderate to major flooding in parts of the province.
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