The City of Brandon has declared a state of emergency over provincial forecasts predicting water levels in the Assiniboine and Shellmouth river basins will rise this week, peaking at levels near those seen during historic flooding in 2014.
Brandon Mayor Jeff Fawcett said the declaration allows the city to take “necessary actions” to protect the community as it prepares for rising water.
“While there are currently no evacuation orders in place, we are taking a proactive approach to ensure the safety of residents and to maintain essential municipal services,” Fawcett said in a media release.
The city says its emergency operations centre remains fully activated and flood response is being coordinated across municipal departments with assistance from provincial agencies, emergency services and local partners.
On Friday, the city announced a temporary dike closure at Grand Valley Road and 18th Street to aid in flood mitigation. The city said minor site cleanup may occur Monday as crews continue to monitor conditions.
Heavy rain and thunderstorms ripped though western parts of Manitoba last week, with Brandon recording over 50 mm of rain on Monday alone. At times, more than 60 highways were closed across the province.
But the city is still faring better than other communities a little further north.
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The Town of Swan River evacuated 150 residents Wednesday after heavy rainfalls that Environment Canada said reached 107 mm in just a few days. The typical amount of rainfall in the region for the entire month of June is 80 mm, the agency said.
That storm came before the municipality could recover from a devastating flood in early June.
“Everywhere that we had flooding three weeks ago, we have the same flooding, except more,” said Bill Gade, Swan River’s reeve. “(The flooding) was so bad, and now it’s just so much worse. It’s hard to even imagine it.”
Swan River Mayor Lance Jacobson said Friday that water levels appeared to have dropped approximately 30 cm, but they remain elevated by a couple of metres in some places.
The town says it is stuck waiting for water levels to recede before it can begin cleanup efforts. Gade said he believes repair costs will begin around $10 million.
Eleanor Olszewki, the federal minister for emergency management, confirmed Friday that the federal government had approved assistance for flood-ravaged regions in western Manitoba. That support will include the deployment of a small team from the Canadian Armed Forces to help with logistics and resource co-ordination.
Rain is expected to continue throughout western Manitoba on Sunday before Monday brings some relief.
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