Lake Manitoba update: May 18, 2020

Another dry week means that river flows are falling and lake levels are stable or dropping. The level of Lake Manitoba is 811.49 feet with wind pushing water eastward. This has caused Fairford flows to rise from last week to 2,663 cfs when winds were in the opposite direction. The level of Lake St. Martin is down from last week to 798.35 feet. Flow on the Assiniboine at Holland is 4,273 cfs, and 4,132 cfs at Headingly, and is dropping at both locations. Flow on the Whitemud River fell to 388 cfs after a dry week. The flow on the Waterhen is down to 3,920 cfs with shifting winds affecting the level of Lake Winnipegosis that is currently 830.90 feet. Flow on the Dauphin River is up to 3,814 cfs. The level of the Shellmouth Reservoir continues to rise reaching at 1401.80 feet this morning.

River update

Time: 6:00 AM May 18, 2020

Portage Diversion: closed

Assiniboine at Holland: 4,273 cfs

Assiniboine at Headingly: 4,132 cfs

Waterhen: 3,920 cfs

Whitemud: 388 cfs

Fairford: 2,663 cfs

Dauphin: 3,814 cfs

Lake update

Time: 6:00 AM May 18, 2020

Steep Rock: 811.50 ft

Westbourne: 811.47 ft

Mean level Lake Manitoba: 811.49 ft

Lake Manitoba desired operating range: 810.5 to 812.5 ft

Lake St. Martin: 798.35 ft

Lake St. Martin desired operating range: 797.0 to 800.0 ft

Lake Winnipegosis: 830.90 ft

Shellmouth Reservoir: 1401.80 ft

Extracted from the Environment and Climate Change Canada Real-time Hydrometric Data web site (https://wateroffice.ec.gc.ca/mainmenu/real_time_data_index_e.html) on May 18, 2020.

The 9th Anniversary

On May 31 it will be nine years since the flooding of Lake Manitoba drove us out of our homes. Little did we know then that the forced evacuation would last months and for some years before we could resume life at the la

Those of us lucky enough to return to a home found destruction in homes and a moonscape of a neighborhood. We pumped water for weeks working around restrictions limiting our time on our property. We salvaged what we could.

We found ourselves bookkeepers, subcontractors trying find tradespeople to repair, move lift and rebuild. We navigated the ever-changing landscape of government regulations and rules for partial repayments. We were on our own. And we were the lucky ones! Many friends and neighbors lost everything. Homes disappeared or were so badly damaged that they had to be torn down. A life time in family treasures oten disappeared in the destruction.

The resilience of our communities is a credit to persistence and faith in government. We read about a channel that was built in record time in the Lake St. Martin area. Little did we know that this channel would do nothing to protect us from future flooding and indeed be mothballed in favour of a new plan. The completion date changed year-by-year. The environmental licensing of the new project has become a political nightmare with no real end in sight.

Like most, the road has been emotionally difficult. Friends have moved, others suffered with illness and sadly some have passed. For all of us from some degree have had life put on pause waiting for some sense of normality to return. I can’t help but think of those who are no longer part of the community. I think of the years that were stolen from their retirement and forced life-change that this event has caused. There is no compensation for that missed time.

Suffering and displacement has happened in communities along the lake – not just north of it. Most I know begrudgingly acknowledge a kind of duty for the greater good accepting the water through the diversion to spare others. Now we need political will to pay that attitude back with peace of mind that will come from completion of the channels that will lessen the chance of future floods.

We need to express our experience to our political leaders and urge them to get on with it! I encourage you to mark this dubious anniversary by writing to your MP, MLA or Ministers and urge a swift end to the delays.

Jack King

Links to Government MPs and MLAs

Members of Parliament (Manitoba): https://sources.com/PNN/MBFed.htm

Manitoba Legislature: https://www.gov.mb.ca/legislature/members/mla_list_alphabetical.html

Federal Minister of Infrastructure and Communities

 infc.minister-ministre.infc@canada.ca

Provincial Minister of Infrastructure

minmi@leg.gov.mb.ca

Lake Manitoba Update

May 10, 2020

Wind is again playing havoc with the gauges that make the readings of lake levels and river flows highly uncertain. The nominal level of levels of Lake Manitoba is 811.48 feet, reading 810.98 feet at Steep Rock and 811.98 feet at Westbourne. Due to the low level at Steep Rock, outflow at Fairford is way down to 1,307 cfs: the flow will rise again when the wind shifts to its normal westerly direction. The level of Lake St. Martin is up from last week, sitting at 798.98 feet this morning. Flow on the Assiniboine at Holland is 4,838 cfs, and 4,732 cfs at Headingly, and is dropping at both locations. Flow on the Whitemud River fell to 441 cfs after a dry week. The flow on the Waterhen continues to rise reaching 4,379 cfs. The level of Lake Winnipegosis is 831.23 feet this week, a level that is wind affected. Flow on the Dauphin River is down to 3,267 cfs. The level of the Shellmouth Reservoir is rising and currently sitting at 1401.64 feet.

River update

Time: 9:00 AM May 10, 2020

Portage Diversion: closed

Assiniboine at Holland: 4,838 cfs

Assiniboine at Headingly: 4,732 cfs

Waterhen: 4,379 cfs

Whitemud: 441 cfs

Fairford: 1,307 cfs

Dauphin: 3,267 cfs

Lake update

Time: 9:00 AM May 10, 2020

Steep Rock: 810.98 ft

Westbourne: 811.98 ft

Mean level Lake Manitoba: 811.48 ft

Lake Manitoba desired operating range: 810.5 to 812.5 ft

Lake St. Martin: 798.98 ft

Lake St. Martin desired operating range: 797.0 to 800.0 ft

Lake Winnipegosis: 831.23 ft

Shellmouth Reservoir: 1401.64 ft

Extracted from the Environment and Climate Change Canada Real-time Hydrometric Data web site (https://wateroffice.ec.gc.ca/mainmenu/real_time_data_index_e.html) on May 10, 2020.

Reconciliation without Conciliation

https://winnipegsun.com/news/news-news/injunction-filed-against-province-over-lake-manitoba-and-lake-st-martin-project

The article link above indicates the gulf between the Lake Manitoba – Lake St. Martin channels getting done or not.

The fact that two years of consultation has taken place involving 39 northern Aboriginal communities has taken place that more talk has to take place. That leaves the residents, farmers and ranchers along the shores of Lake Manitoba without permanent mitigation against another flood. The inability to manage lake levels is our reality with our dubious anniversary coming up this May 31.

In the face of multiple announcements for funding, promises made to have shovels in the ground and enough talk for a lifetime – we are left unprotected, marginalized by a government who seemingly cannot or will not negotiate a fair resolution.

We put our faith in the plan at personal expense to rebuild. We endured financial loss to far land underwater. When the water receded solil salinity made tilling unproductive.

We deserve better. Conciliation presupposes open-mindedness working toward a mutual solution of a problem. Reconciliation appears to mean an apology tour with buckets of money.

ALM Letter to Minister Schuler

Note that since the letter was written we became aware of an extension to the timeline for written public submissions. The new deadline is May 25.

May 5, 2020

Dear Minister Sculer:

The Association of Lake Manitoba Stakeholders has been actively involved in the plan to provide permanent flood mitigation for Lake Manitoba since 2011.

Nine years hence we have seen the Province and Federal Governments commit to funding the Lake Manitoba-Lake St Martin Channel. The design and capacity of the channels have been approved.

The process moved to an environmental assessment prior to licencing the project.

An exhaustive round of consultations concluded with 39 northern communities having the opportunity to express their views on the channels. It must be noted that many of these communities had dubious connections to the project.

 In February it was announced that “written comments are being accepted until April 23” to allow for interested parties to comment in writing. Given the exclusion of Lake Manitoba from the consultation process cited it was no surprise that many of our members assumed this was for First Nations and did not respond.

It is now May 5. Has the process concluded? What is the timeline and process to have ‘shovels in the ground’.

Increasingly, our members are discouraged and doubt that we will ever see the completion of this vital flood mitigation. In good faith communities have rebuilt homes and continued with family farms and ranches. They read the comments of many on your website and found an overwhelming number of negative reviews dealt with historical grievances suffered by Indigenous communities. We get that. However, we are perplexed wondering how these comments relate to an environmental review.

We have experienced many frustrations since 2011. The relationship to high water and flooding with the operation of the Portage Diversion is obvious. The fact that no review occurred when ‘improvements’ result in the ability of the Diversion to flow more water into Lake Manitoba than in 2011.

We were told by representatives of the former government at that time that “we had to put the water somewhere” in order to save communities further down river. Now it is our turn. We need the channels to protect our communities, homes, crops and livestock.

Wouldn’t it be a grand idea to use May 31 to announce the licensing of the project?  It would change this day of infamy for those of us evacuated to one of hope and celebration.

Jack King

President

The Association of Lake Manitoba Stakeholders

Lake Manitoba update: May 3, 2020

Wind is playing havoc with levels of Lake Manitoba this weekend: the level on the gauges is 811.55 feet, which is probably too high. Outflow at Fairford is down to 2,313 cfs. The level of Lake St. Martin is little changed from last week, sitting at 798.85 feet this morning. Assiniboine flows are little changed from last week: flow on the Assiniboine at Holland is 4,697 cfs, and 4,591 cfs at Headingly. Flow on the Whitemud River rose to 749 cfs with the rain this week. The flow on the Waterhen continues to rise reaching 3,743 cfs. The level of Lake Winnipegosis is 830.88 feet this week. Flow on the Dauphin River is down to 3,779 cfs. The level of the Shellmouth Reservoir is rising and currently sitting at 1400.80 feet.

River update

Time: 9:00 AM May 3, 2020

Portage Diversion: closed

Assiniboine at Holland: 4,697 cfs

Assiniboine at Headingly: 4,591 cfs

Waterhen: 3,743 cfs

Whitemud: 749 cfs

Fairford: 2,313 cfs

Dauphin: 3,779 cfs

Lake update

Time: 9:00 AM May 3, 2020

Steep Rock: 811.40 ft

Westbourne: 811.70 ft

Mean level Lake Manitoba: 811.55 ft

Lake Manitoba desired operating range: 810.5 to 812.5 ft

Lake St. Martin: 798.85 ft

Lake St. Martin desired operating range: 797.0 to 800.0 ft

Lake Winnipegosis: 830.88 ft

Shellmouth Reservoir: 1400.80 ft

Extracted from the Environment and Climate Change Canada Real-time Hydrometric Data web site (https://wateroffice.ec.gc.ca/mainmenu/real_time_data_index_e.html) on May 3, 2020.