A washout on Manitoba PR 346 south of Brandon in April 2017. (Manitoba Co-operator file photo by Alexis Stockford)

Manitoba to prepare for spring flooding

Some major waterways in agricultural Manitoba are expected to spill their banks this spring, according to the provincial infrastructure department’s first official flood outlook for the year. Assuming normal weather conditions for the season, southern Manitobans can expect levels on the Red River south of the floodway to peak near 2011 levels, the department said.

Turtle Mountain Conservation District manager Yasmine Wruth takes tour members through a five-year-old bank stabilization project south of Deloraine June 28.

Turtle Mountain Conservation District puts its best foot forward

The Turtle Mountain Conservation District toured the public around some of its recent 
and long-standing projects as part of the biennial event

It was a once-in-two-year chance June 28 as participants lined up for a look behind the scenes of the Turtle Mountain Conservation District during the biennial bus tour. “We just wanted to focus on the Waskada Creek area,” district manager Yasmine Wruth said. “We couldn’t do the entire area, but we focused on the southern



The Souris River at Minot, N.D. in June 2012. (Cynthia Hunter photo, Fema.gov)

Manitoba’s southwest expecting ‘well above normal’ runoff

Manitoba is expecting normal to above-normal spring runoff except in the Souris River basin, which is looking at “above normal to well-above normal runoff potential.” Levels of spring flooding still depend on future weather conditions, Infrastructure Minister Blaine Pedersen said Friday in the province’s March flood outlook, but the risk of overland flooding is “slightly

Competitors in the Heartland Rodeo Association Finals in Carman September 13 and 14 wore blue shirts in honour of their friend and mentor Terry Marshall. 
They dubbed the theme of the 2015 events, which also mark the HRA’s 20th year, ‘20 Shades of Blue.’

Heartland Rodeo Association ‘blue rodeo’ remembers founder

HRA themed its 20th year of finals in honour of friend and founder Terry Marshall who died suddenly last year

He’d be very proud and very honoured. That’s how Strathclair cowgirl Lacey Marshall says her late father, Terry Marshall, would feel to see the events unfolding at Heartland Rodeo Association 20th annual finals here last weekend. “This rodeo meant so much to him. And it’s amazing to think of all the lives he’s touched.” HRA


downtown Souris, Manitoba

Community development with a small town feel

Manitoba towns learn what’s working for them — and what needs work — 
with First Impressions Community Exchange program

A first impression is a lasting one — whether it’s a person or a place. For small towns, it can make the difference between new people wanting to come and live there — or looking elsewhere. Souris and Minnedosa both jumped at the chance to take part this summer in an ongoing program pairing Manitoba towns

Grasshopper on a sunflower under attack from red mites.

Invasion of the body snatchers

Southwestern Manitoba grasshoppers being preyed upon by parasitic red mites

This grasshopper munching on a sunflower in southwestern Manitoba is being devoured by parasitic red mites (Eutrombidium locustarum), says Manitoba Agriculture, Food and Rural Development (MAFRD) entomologist John Gavloski. The mites feed on the blood (hemolymph) of grasshoppers. They also prey on grasshopper eggs. Each female mite can lay up to 4,000 eggs, providing mite

This filed of canola is at the 50 per cent bloom stage. The optimum time to apply a fungicide to protect canola from sclerotinia is at 20 to 30 per cent bloom, but it can be applied up to 50 per cent bloom. photo lionel kaskiw, mafrd

Tools to assess sclerotinia risk in canola

The risk was high last week, but it might not be this week

The sclerotinia risk was high in most of Manitoba last week, but it may have changed this week and the risk could be different a week from now, says Manitoba Agriculture, Food and Rural Development (MAFRD) oilseed specialist Anastasia Kubinec. That’s why it pays farmers to assess the risk to their own canola crops before


Weighing options on flooded Man. fields

The Keystone Agricultural Producers took reporters to see some of the flooded fields north of Souris July 10. Souris-area farmer Walter Finlay estimates flooding will cut his gross income this year by $500,000. Out of 2,900 acres Finlay only seeded 850 this spring because of excessive moisture. He expects only 300 of those acres to

Souris taps “wisdom of crowds” for rebuilding flood-damaged park

Souris residents encouraged to post their own ideas online as town 
looks to repair Victoria Park after last year's deluge

After last year’s flood turned the town of Souris’s iconic park into a sea of mud, local officials have been left with an extensive cleanup and repair job. Victoria Park, famous for its high ravines, trees, two bridges, peacocks and legions of resident Canada geese, saw many of its trees and most of its grass