Dikes hold as Assiniboine reaches crest in Brandon

Protective dikes kept floodwaters in check as the Assiniboine River peaked in Brandon early Monday morning.

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After four weeks, your payment will increase to $24.95 plus GST every four weeks. Protective dikes kept floodwaters in check as the Assiniboine River peaked in Brandon early Monday morning. City officials said crews will continue to monitor water levels as areas near the river remain dangerous.

“The river levels are forecasted to remain high for a few days before a slow decline begins,” Brandon Mayor Jeff Fawcett said on Monday. “But again, if we receive significant rainfall locally or within the Shellmouth or Assiniboine basins, the flood forecast could change again.” The Assiniboine River was at 1,179.435 feet at First Street as of 2 p.m. on Monday.

The river crested at 1,179.49 feet at about 2 a.m. on Monday. The mayor also warned residents to stay away from the river and protective equipment, including newly constructed dikes. “Residents should remember that flood-related hazards often continue after water levels begin to recede,” Fawcett said.

“As floodwaters withdraw, riverbanks can become unstable due to erosion. Saturated ground can give way unexpectedly, and damage to flood protection measures may not always be immediately visible.” No evacuations were made in the city and no major infrastructure or property damage was reported, Fawcett said.

Grand Valley Road along with Brandon Youth Soccer Association and Dinsdale parks were fully submerged with water, however. Floodwaters could also be seen seeping underneath super-sandbags along First Street North on Monday morning. Northbound lanes of the road were closed, while traffic slowly continued to move in both directions on southbound lanes.

Kyle Winters, the city’s director of engineering, said the water running underneath the sandbags isn’t of concern. “Seepage with sandbags is pretty typical. It’s a matter of being able to keep up to that seepage with pumping, so that’s something that (Manitoba Transportation and Infrastructure) is working on.

It’s anticipated they had pumps on site, and that’s how they’ve been able to keep the road in service.” Fawcett said city officials are also keeping an eye on land drainage and how lift stations are performing. He said past floods have made a large impact on how this flood is being managed.

“Looking back at the 2011, 2014, 2017 (floods) and the things that were put in place ... have made this manageable,” he said. “So the team has been exceptional, but the work that has gone on previously has been very, very, very important, and we’re really grateful for all the work that’s gone on over the years that have helped make this a more manageable situation.” He said the weather in the last week has also been helpful.

If dikes hadn’t been built after last decades’ floods, there would be “significant damage.” City emergency co-ordinator Tobin Praznik said the infrastructure upgrades put the city in a better position for heavy rainfalls and floods. He said the speed of the water is more of a concern than the height itself.

“From a danger standpoint, it’s actually the speed at what the river’s running at right now. It is very quick, so therefore we’re going to see some of that overflow, and we’re going to see some erosion in some areas,” Praznik said. The city called a state of emergency on July 4, which means crews can take action very quickly if the situation changes.

Fawcett said the city expects water levels to remain near the peak “for a number of days” and slowly recede, barring any weather changes. Evacuation notices remain in place for neighbourhoods directly adjacent to the river. Notices were sent out to residents and businesses in potentially vulnerable parts of the city, outlining how people should prepare, including having a “go-bag” ready.

The city is confident that the measures it has taken are enough, but officials say they will continue to monitor the situation. The 1,179.49-foot crest compares to an about 1,183-foot peak during the 2011 flood, the 1,185-foot level in 2014 and the 1,179.24 feet it reached in 2017. » alambert@brandonsun.com