Spring floods wash out dozens of Prairie highways

REGINA – Trans-Canada Highway has reopened in Saskatchewan between Grenfell and Balgonie after being closed for days because of flooding.

There are still several highways closed in the province, including Highway 39.

A list of closures and detours can be found here.

Meanwhile, in southern Manitoba where flood waters seemingly overrun the Trans-Canada every year, forecasters aren’t expecting Red River crest levels as bad as first feared, but the "2011 flood in Manitoba remains unprecedented in terms of how much of the province is affected," reports the Winnipeg Free Press.

The latest projection calls for the Red River to crest in Winnipeg within three weeks at 20.1 to 22.8 feet above normal winter ice level. That would be just over a foot lower than a scenario of 24.1 feet and about the same as the crest of the notorious 2009 spring flood. , which stymied travel and cost the trucking industry millions. 

Transportation and infrastructure Minister Steve Ashton warned against complacency. "At times it may appear the severity of the flood is significantly less,’ he said. "I want to stress this is a very serious flood.’

Ashton told the Free Press that this year’s flood is expected to be "unprecedented on a geographic scale’ because of the widespread distribution of saturated soils and heavy snowpacks across the province.

Flooding and washouts affected a majority of Manitoba’s municipalities, causing officials to close a record 55 highways this week.

Several hundred people have been evacuated from flood-affected communities in Manitoba, Alberta and Saskatchewan.


Have your say


This is a moderated forum. Comments will no longer be published unless they are accompanied by a first and last name and a verifiable email address. (Today's Trucking will not publish or share the email address.) Profane language and content deemed to be libelous, racist, or threatening in nature will not be published under any circumstances.

*