Province increases Shellmouth Reservoir outflows

Decision makes room for forecasted runoff, water levels to rise from two to three feet

Province of Manitoba – The Hydrologic Forecast Centre of Manitoba Infrastructure and Transportation advises that outflows from the Shellmouth Reservoir will be increased today by an additional 500 cubic feet per second (cfs) down the Assiniboine River to better manage reservoir water levels. Outflow from the dam was increased last week from approximately 1,900 cfs in

Ten thousand acres of farmland along the Assiniboine River from the Shellmouth Dam to St. Lazare will soon be flooded. Stan Cochrane, president of the Assiniboine Valley Producers Association says the affected farmers should be compensated and the Shellmouth Reservoir needs to be better managed.

Timing of reservoir release means no flood compensation for farmers

The Assiniboine River from the Shellmouth Dam to St. Lazare is expected to rise two to three feet the Manitoba government says

Farmers along the Assiniboine River from the Shellmouth Dam to St. Lazare are calling for compensation as the province begins to increase water flow from the Shellmouth Reservoir. Stan Cochrane, who farms near Griswold, told the Keystone Agricultural Producers advisory meeting here April 21 that affected farmers won’t be reimbursed for damages from the province’s


Province advises spring run-off has started in Manitoba

Red River peak expected to move from Emerson to Winnipeg in next ive to six days

Province of Manitoba – The Hydrologic Forecast Centre at Manitoba Infrastructure and Transportation advises that spring run-off due to snowmelt has started in most of the southern, southwest, southeast and Interlake regions. Above-freezing temperatures earlier this month in southern and central Manitoba, adjacent provinces and the United States have led to an early spring melt.  The

A river flows freely in early Manitoba spring

A river flows freely in early Manitoba spring

Our History: March 2000

A photo of water running in spring on the Assiniboine River near Brandon is not unusual, but this shot from the previous week ran in our March 9, 2000 issue. A story alongside reported that the winter had been one of the warmest on record, with widespread snow cover not showing up until December, and

Manitoba Hydro staff have been running hard this week clearing ice from power lines. This Hydro employee was knocking hoarfrost off a line three miles west of Miami, Man., Thursday (Dec. 17) afternoon. Power outages have occurred in many areas of Manitoba, especially in south-central and western regions. In some cases transmission lines have been damaged, while in others Manitoba Hydro has turned the power off so staff could clear the lines. Some people on social media have reported being without electricity for 12 hours.

Need for more disaster planning in rural Manitoba

A seminar Jan. 14 in Portage la Prairie will look at how the risk environment is changing in rural Manitoba

Just as it takes a village to raise a child, it takes a community to prepare for disaster. The Association of Manitoba Municipalities (AMM) and the Manitoba governments Emergency Measures Organization (EMO) want input from municipal leaders, emergency co-ordinators, rural businesses and ordinary citizens on how best to prepare for climate change in the face


In 2014, nearly one million Manitoba acres were too wet to seed and thousands of acres of crop were damaged by too much moisture.

Risk management review task force seeks farmer input

It’s looking for ideas to mitigate the impact of increasing severe weather on producers

Everybody complains about the weather, the old saying goes, but nobody does anything about it. Well, Manitoba’s Agriculture Risk Management Review Task Force can’t fix the weather, but it wants to hear Manitoba farmers’ ideas for mitigating its impact. “We’re hoping there will be some real thinking out of the box by people on the

Assiniboine river map

Assiniboine River Basin Initiative progressing, but funding needed

Manitoba has pledged another $50,000 for the basin-wide initiative, but other jurisdictions more cautious

The Assiniboine River Basin Initiative (ARBI) becomes a legal, stand-alone entity as of July 1, but where the funding to support it will come from is still in question. Manitoba has pledged an additional $50,000 beyond an initial $50,000 announced last year to start ARBI, but Saskatchewan and North Dakota have not yet put dollars

wild boar

Wild boars continue on the increase

Manitoba Conservation reports the last known boar sighting was in late November of 2014

Wild boars continue to be a pest in parts of western Manitoba, and some producers at Ag Days this year told Manitoba Conservation officials that the critters have developed a particular liking for corn. Manitoba Conservation estimates that there are currently about 50 wild boars active in the province. “The last recorded kill was near


Amphibexes breaking ice

Move huts off of flood mitigation areas

Without a heavy blanket of snow to insulate it from the cold, 
ice on Manitoba’s rivers and lakes is actually thicker than it was last year

While it might be warmer this winter than last, higher average temperatures haven’t resulted in less ice on Manitoba waterways. Darrell Kupchik, director of operations for North Red Waterway Maintenance, said areas that only had 14 inches of ice in 2014 now have 24 inches. “Last year is kind of the year that sticks in

Assiniboine River Basin

Assiniboine River Basin Initiative a good first step

But 'there be dragons' to tame for it to be a success

Those who attended the meeting in Regina that established the Assiniboine River Basin Initiative deserve credit for their effort. Their determination to come up with a plan to address land and water issues within the basin should be welcomed by all, but the obstacles they face are many. The biggest by far is the poor