Ritchot managing flood situation

The Mayor for Ritchot says any flood concerns that exist today in his municipality are due to overland flooding from the weekend rain, and not from the rising Red River.

Chris Ewen used the word, 'monsoon' when referring to the Colorado Low that dumped rain and snow in southern Manitoba over the weekend. He notes this resulted in some immediate flooding concerns in a couple of neighbourhoods in Ile des Chenes and St. Adolphe.

"Not because of the river flooding," notes Ewen. "It was simply because we had an immediate amount of rain that dropped on us. And quite frankly some of the culverts may not have been steamed out yet because we were just starting that process and the amount of water just couldn't leave the drain and culverts that quickly."

Ewen says there was one area of Ile des Chenes where some drainage issues related to a culvert caused some basements to get wet. However, he notes that problem has been fixed and the water is now moving out of their towns.

Meanwhile, the province is building up the dike across Provincial Road 200, on the north edge of St. Adolphe. Ewen explains that because this is a provincial road, this is a provincial project. He urges residents not to panic, particularly those who may have recently moved to the municipality.

"It's a precautionary thing," he explains. "It doesn't mean we're looking at evacuations, it doesn't mean there is an immediate flood coming. The province is just making sure because this is a provincial road, they are making sure that their ducks are in a row for a scenario that could bring major or even moderate risk of flood."

In fact, Ewen says in the five years that he has been Mayor, closing the dike there has become almost an annual tradition.

Ewen says with the province activating the floodway over the weekend, this has caused river levels to rise slightly in his municipality. But, Ewen says he can not say enough good things about their Public Works team, Administration and their Emergency Coordinator. He notes crews worked hard over the weekend to make sure floodwaters stayed out of residents' homes.

Anyone needing assistance is encouraged to call Ritchot's Flood Inquiry Line at 204-883-2147. Ewen notes the municipality has sandbags available for anyone needing them.