As we near the end of February and the start of spring, the provincial government is looking ahead to flood season, and their early forecast will be welcome news for many Manitobans.
The Province released their February flood outlook and according to Manitoba Transportation and Infrastructure’s Hydrologic Forecast Centre, the risk of flooding is low to moderate for most Manitoba rivers as the spring runoff period approaches.
“Spring flood risk remains largely dependent on weather conditions from now through the melt period,” reads a provincial release on the early forecast, “including additional snowfall and spring rainfall as well as the snowmelt’s timing and rate.”
The Hydrologic Forecast Centre expects most lakes in Manitoba to “remain within desired operating ranges after spring runoff ” and added that the risk of flooding from lakes throughout the province was low.
The Red, Pembina, Assiniboine, Souris, and Qu’Appelle Rivers are all at “moderate” flood risk as of the latest update, though that risk decreases to “low” for tributaries to the Red and Assiniboine in particular.
The release also asks Manitobans to stay off waterways as the weather warms up and ice continues to deteriorate.
