Winnipeg River expected to crest next month
The Winnipeg River is expected to crest in early June, according to the Manitoba government.
In the province’s flood bulletin released on Saturday, it said the river is still experiencing high flows and water levels due to “significant volumes of water upstream in Ontario from Lake of the Woods and Lac Seul.”
The Winnipeg River’s water levels are expected to remain above normal for several weeks after it crests next month.
The Manitoba government noted that a flood warning is still in effect for this river, as well as the Whiteshell Lakes area. Property owners in these areas should continue to take the necessary precautions.
The province advises against travelling into the Whiteshell Provincial Park area, as many highways are flooded and travel is “treacherous.”
Manitoba Parks has ordered the evacuation of Whiteshell Provincial Park’s Betula Lake area. This includes cottage subdivisions; commercial, group-use, day-use, recreational and picnic areas; playgrounds; trails; and beaches. A full list of restricted lakes and boat launch, campground and travel closures can be found online.
As of Saturday, 42 states of local emergency have been declared in Manitoba. The Manitoba Emergency Measures Organization is working with local authorities and emergency management partners to help communities respond and recover.
Manitoba Hydro is also asking people to be careful on and around rivers and lakes, especially near generating stations.
A complete list of flood warnings, watches and high water advisories in Manitoba can be found online.
DAMAGE IN THE WHITESHELL
As some parts of Whiteshell Provincial Park are evacuated, others are now seeing the water level off.
At West Hawk Lake, docks litter the main boat launch as residents and cottagers can now survey the damage.
Jaime Lynn Sopka was spending the weekend in the area at her parents’ cabin.
Two weeks ago, she received a call from the contractor who built her dock, saying she needed to put sandbags on it to protect it.
She initially put 30 on the dock, but had to put 100 more after the water started to damage it.
"It had kind of caved, so when I called him, he said you need a hundred more. So I added a hundred with some great friends last weekend," she said.
Sopka said the situation has been tense, but she is thankful she isn't dealing with more damage.
"It's been stressful for everyone, I think, but there are people way worse off than we are," she said. "People have lost whole boathouses, docks, and in some parts of the Whiteshell, their cabins."
The damage even extends beyond personal properties in the area.
Local business owner Shaun Harbottle noticed the sea wall across from his store was starting to fall.
"It's unfortunate," said Harbottle, the owner of Crescent Beach Cottages & Motel. "The wave action actually dug out of the sea wall, and then the wall started to list, so I think there is an eight-inch gap there now, so it is falling."
The sea wall is now barricaded with tape so people can't go near it. Below it, where a beach used to be, it's all water.
Harbottle said he's never seen the lake as high as it right now, noting he's lived in the area his entire life.
"We've seen everything from fridges to whole docks to ladders. So it is dangerous, but cottage owners need to be here,” he said. “They need to secure their boats and get their stuff figured out."
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Documents reveal Ottawa's efforts to get Loblaw, Walmart on board with grocery code
It was evident to the federal government as early as last fall that Loblaw and Walmart might be holdouts to the grocery code of conduct, jeopardizing the project's success.
opinion The special relationship between King Charles and the Princess of Wales
Royal commentator Afua Hagan writes that when King Charles recently admitted Catherine to the Order of the Companions of Honour, it not only made history, but it reinforced the strong bond between the King and his beloved daughter-in-law.
'I just want to be safe': Ukrainian man in Canada faces limbo amid consular freeze
A recent decision to restrict consular services for fighting-aged Ukrainian men has made a Ukrainian man in Canada feel less certain of his next steps — and worried he could be pulled back to the war.
Dozens of U.S. deaths reveal risks of injecting sedatives into people restrained by police
The practice of giving sedatives to people detained by police has spread quietly across the U.S. over the last 15 years, built on questionable science and backed by police-aligned experts, an investigation led by The Associated Press has found.
Improve balance and build core strength with this exercise
When it comes to cardiovascular fitness, you may tend to focus on activities that move you forward, such as walking, running and cycling.
Expert warns of food consumption habits amid rising prices
A new survey by Dalhousie University's Agri-Food Analytics Lab asked Canadians about their food consumption habits amid rising prices.
Charlie Woods, son of Tiger, shoots 81 in U.S. Open qualifier
Charlie Woods failed to advance in a U.S. Open local qualifying event Thursday, shooting a 9-over 81 at Legacy Golf & Tennis Club.
B.C. tenants evicted for landlord's use after refusing large rent increase to take over neighbouring suite
Ashley Dickey and her mother rented part of the same Coquitlam duplex in three different decades under three different landlords.
Mountain guide dies after falling into a crevasse in Banff National Park
A man who fell into a crevasse while leading a backcountry ski group deep in the Canadian Rockies has died.