June 6, 2019
Information Sessions Planned for Lake Manitoba Outlet Channels Project
The Manitoba government will be updating the public on the province’s plans for two new, permanent outlet channels for Lake Manitoba and Lake St. Martin that will greatly enhance the province’s capacity to manage flooding, Infrastructure Minister Ron Schuler announced today.
“The outlet channels are critically important to ensuring the safety of all Manitobans,” said Schuler. “History has shown the costs and consequences of inaction are far too great and we are committed to moving this project forward as soon as possible.”
The project consists of building two diversion channels, approximately 23-kilometres long: the Lake Manitoba Outlet Channel will run north from Watchorn Bay on Lake Manitoba to Birch Bay on Lake St. Martin and the Lake St. Martin Outlet Channel will run northeast from Lake St. Martin to Lake Winnipeg south of Willow Point. The project also involves building a number of bridges and water control structures, a 24-kilovolt distribution line and adjusting surrounding highway infrastructure.
The information sessions are scheduled for:
• June 25 in Winnipeg, 2 to 5 p.m. and 6 to 8 p.m., Canad Inns Destination Centre Fort Garry, 1824 Pembina Hwy.; and
• June 27 in Moosehorn, 2 to 5 p.m. and 6 to 8 p.m., Moosehorn Community Hall, Railway Avenue, Rural Municipality of Grahamdale.
The new channels will increase the province’s ability to regulate water levels on Lake Manitoba and Lake St. Martin. The design is for a channel capacity of 7,500 cubic feet per second (cfs) for the Lake Manitoba outlet and 11,500 cfs for the Lake St. Martin outlet. The current capacity of the Lake St. Martin Emergency Outlet Channel is approximately 4,000 cfs.
Excavation of the channels and construction of the associated bridges and control structures will occur once detailed design work, Indigenous consultation and environmental authorizations are complete, Schuler said. Until the new channels are completed, the original emergency channel will remain available for use as required. Once the new channels are completed, the existing emergency channel will then be repurposed for environmental benefits.
Last year, the governments of Canada and Manitoba announced an agreement to cost-share $540 million in new flood management infrastructure for the Lake Manitoba and Lake St. Martin outlet channels. Federal funding of $247.5 million will be provided through the Disaster Mitigation and Adaptation Fund. Manitoba will provide matching funds in the amount of $247.5 million, plus an additional $45 million.
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