Manitoba begins ice-cutting program on Red River
Crews will be hard at work preventing flooding on the Red River for the next several weeks.
The province’s annual ice cutting program got underway Tuesday. The program sees crews and equipment cut and break 28 kilometres of river ice to reduce the chance of flooding related to ice jams.
Remote control ice-cutting units and three Amphibex icebreakers are used during the program.
The program has been in place since 2006, and is expected to be finished this year by March 15.
River users are advised to stay off the ice where there is evidence of cutting. Ice fishers are also reminded to remove huts or other materials in the areas where the program is happening.
El Nino impacting winter activities: ECCC
Environment and Climate Change Canada (ECCC) said this winter has had warmer than average temperatures due to El Nino flowing through Manitoba.
“Any areas that depended on snow, or ice have not fared very well this year,” said Natalie Hasell, warning preparedness hydrologist with ECCC. “If you're in Winnipeg, you know, for instance, the River Trail was only open for about five days, so that kind of gives you an indication of how things are going this year.”
Rick Gergatz, an avid ice fisher, said it took him a little longer to get on the ice for his favourite activity.
“I’m on the ice normally the first or second week of December,” he said Tuesday. “This year, it was closer to the end of December, Christmas time, so we’re two or three weeks later than normal.”
Gergatz said the warmer winter did not allow ice on the river to freeze over quickly. He said he is hoping to have ice on the river until the end of March.
“What really deteriorates the ice quickly is when we have warm spells, where it’s above zero during the day and all night, and for several days in a row,” he said.
Hasell said Manitobans can expect to see shifting temperatures in the coming weeks, ranging from seasonal cold to above average.
- With files from CTV's Danton Unger
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
![](https://www.ctvnews.ca/polopoly_fs/1.6944829.1719591965!/httpImage/image.jpg_gen/derivatives/landscape_800/image.jpg)
TREND LINE Trudeau Liberals 'under siege' across the country, with Conservatives cracking red 'fortresses' like Toronto and Vancouver: Nanos
Hot on the heels of the Conservatives’ stunning byelection victory in the riding of Toronto—St. Paul’s, new seat projection data from Nanos Research show ridings considered previously safe for the Liberals are increasingly up for grabs.
New charges against Frank Stronach involve 7 additional complainants: court documents
Billionaire businessman Frank Stronach stands charged with sexually assaulting seven additional complainants from 1977 to as recently as February, court documents filed Friday show, bringing the total number of accusers in his case to 10.
Ontario MPP removed from PC caucus over 'serious lapses in judgment'
Premier Doug Ford has removed a member of his caucus due to what he’s describing as 'serious lapses in judgment.' In a statement released Friday morning, the premier’s office said MPP Goldie Ghamari had been removed from the Progressive Conservative caucus 'effective immediately.'
Is homemade sunscreen safe to use? Here's why it's 'a horrible idea,' according to experts
If you could make sunscreen with items found in your kitchen pantry, should you do it? Posts from social media influencers and bloggers including recipes to make your own sunscreen have been wildly circulated online, but the dermatologists who spoke to CTVNews.ca call it a 'horrible idea.'
Need multiple alarms to wake up in the morning? Here's what could be happening, according to experts
If you are clogging your clock app with multiple morning alarms, you’re setting yourself up for a groggy morning, experts say.
'His heart still beats on': Young track star remembered for giving the gift of life
Not a day goes by when Scott and Amanda Cadman don’t think about their son Kirk.
Biden concedes debate fumbles but declares he will defend democracy. Dems stick by him ─ for now
U.S. President Joe Biden forcefully tried on Friday to quell Democratic anxieties over his unsteady showing in his debate with former President Donald Trump, as elected members of his party closed ranks around him in an effort to shut down talk of replacing him atop the ticket.
Russia to prepare a 'response' to U.S. drones over Black Sea
Russia's defence minister ordered officials to prepare a 'response' to U.S. drone flights over the Black Sea, the ministry said Friday, in an apparent warning that Moscow may take forceful action to ward off the American reconnaissance aircraft.
Fines related to neighbour's 443 noise complaints at centre of B.C. dispute
A B.C. condo owner who was fined tens of thousands of dollars over hundreds of noise complaints made by his downstairs neighbour was partially successful in having the penalties overturned.