Morris flood nears its end, but recovery will take months
Flood waters are starting to drop in the Rural Municipality of Morris, and though it brings relief, the community says it will take months to recover from the flood.
Red River levels dropped in Morris by less than an inch on Friday to 780.56 feet. Its forecasted peak of 780.6 to 781.2 feet is expected between May 16 and 18.
"I think now we can finally say that we are nearing the end of the flood of 2022, but (still) a few days to go," said Ralph Groening, reeve for the RM of Morris.
"The water is going down in our community, in the RM of Morris, and that's good news."
A flood warning remains in place as of Saturday for the Red River from Emerson to the Red River Floodway Inlet. However, the province said the Red River is beginning to decline from Emerson to Ste. Agathe and is near crest at St. Adolphe.
The province said in the Red River Valley from St. Adolphe downstream, levels are expected to peak at 2011 to 2009 spring flood levels.
In Morris, the river peaked at 781.66 feet in 2009 and at 779.12 feet in 2011.
Groening said 75 homes in the RM of Morris remain evacuated due to the flood waters cutting off road access.
As for Highway 75 – a major trucking route to the U.S. – Groening says the RM doesn't have much information about when the road will be reopened. The dike remains fully closed, cutting off access to the highway.
"It will depend to some degree on the amount of damage that occurred over the past couple of days," he said.
The province currently has a detour in place through Carman and south to Winkler.
Though levels may be starting to drop in Morris, water remains, covering roads and fields.
"This is going to be a long recovery process. We're looking at middle to the end of June, I think before we can really begin to see some kind of level of normal," Groening said. "We'll be fortunate if we can and do our repairs before the winter of 2023. That's our schedule right now. We're really concerned it's going to be a huge job to summer."
-with files from CTV's Jill Macyshon
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Stormy Daniels describes meeting Trump during occasionally graphic testimony in hush money trial
Stormy Daniels took the witness stand Tuesday at Donald Trump's hush money trial, describing for jurors a sexual encounter the porn actor says she had with him in 2006 that resulted in her being paid off to keep silent during the presidential race 10 years later.
Indian envoy warns of 'big red line,' days after charges laid in Nijjar case
India's envoy to Canada insists relations between the two countries are positive overall, despite what he describes as 'a lot of noise.'
Susan Buckner, who played spirited cheerleader Patty Simcox in 'Grease,' dead at 72
Susan Buckner, best known for playing peppy Rydell High School cheerleader Patty Simcox in the 1978 classic movie musical 'Grease,' has died. She was 72.
Former homicide detective explains how police will investigate shooting outside Drake's Bridle Path mansion
Footage from dozens of security cameras in the area of Drake’s Bridle Path mansion could be the key to identifying the suspect responsible for shooting and seriously injuring a security guard outside the rapper’s sprawling home early Tuesday morning, a former Toronto homicide detective says.
Jeremy Skibicki has 'uphill battle' to prove he's not criminally responsible in Winnipeg killings: legal analysts
Accused killer Jeremy Skibicki could have a challenging time convincing a judge that he is not criminally responsible for the deaths of four Indigenous women, a legal analyst says.
Alcohol believed to be a factor in boating incident after 2 men die: N.S. RCMP
Two Nova Scotia men are dead after a boat they were travelling in sank in the Annapolis River in Granville Centre, N.S., on Monday.
Bye-bye bag fee: Calgary repeals single-use bylaw
A Calgary bylaw requiring businesses to charge a minimum bag fee and only provide single-use items when requested has officially been tossed.
CFL suspends Argos QB Chad Kelly at least nine games following investigation
The CFL suspended Toronto Argonauts quarterback Chad Kelly for at least nine regular-season games Tuesday following its investigation into a lawsuit filed by a former strength-and-conditioning coach against both the player and club.
Air France flight from Paris to Seattle lands in Iqaluit after heat smell in cabin
A plane travelling from Paris to Seattle was forced to make an emergency landing in Iqaluit after there was a heat smell in the cabin during the flight.