September 16, 2009
Province Offers Technical Assistance To Local Governments To Minimize Wind, Wave Damage Along Lake Winnipeg Shore
– – –Cost Waived For Municipalities: Lemieux
The Province of Manitoba will offer sand bags and technical assistance to local governments in the south basin of Lake Winnipeg to assist them in protecting their properties against potential flooding in the event of serious fall storms, Infrastructure and Transportation Minister Ron Lemieux announced today.
“While there is only a 10 per cent chance of a storm event similar to what we saw in 2005, we want to ensure that local governments understand the risks and have the technical expertise to move forward quickly if they decide that they want to flood proof their cottages and homes.” said Lemieux. “The Province of Manitoba will provide them with the information and sandbags they need in a timely fashion.”
The minister noted the province will assist by:
· supplying and delivering emergency sandbags to local governments and/or property owners at no cost,
· making available a mechanical sandbagging machine and an operator,
· providing survey information to set the top-of-dike elevations, and
· providing forecast flood elevations.
In 2005, 48 kilometres of dikes were constructed or enhanced under local states of emergency along Lake Winnipeg to protect homes and cottages against flooding due to serious fall storms in which wind setup and wave action caused the lake to rise about 2.1 metres (seven feet). The Province of Manitoba committed to fund 90 per cent of the total eligible cost of the dikes with the local governments picking up the remainder. In total, the province invested over $12 million in this project.
“Today we are also letting municipalities know that we will forgive them of their cost share for this project,” said Lemieux. “We are just recovering from one of the worst floods in our province’s history and we understand the financial hardship it has had on a number of municipalities throughout the province.”
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