Province issues high-water advisory for parts of rising Red River south of Winnipeg

A high-water advisory is now in effect for the parts of the Red River Valley, the Manitoba government said on Saturday.

Rising water levels on the Red River and its tributaries due to recent events has led the province to issue a high-water advisory for the river between Emerson and Winnipeg, Manitoba Infrastructure's Hydrologic Forecast Centre said in a news release on Saturday afternoon.

According to the release, water levels will continue to rise along the river as moderate precipitation remains in the forecastat most locations in the province's south, including the Red River basin, in the next four to six days.

The northward-flowingriver is not expected to spill its banks, the province said.

Record-high rainfall of more than 200 millimetresover the past week in parts of southwest and western Manitoba, as well as significant amounts dumped south of the U.S. border,prompted an update on the flood warning and high water advisory.

The mayor of the Riverdale municipality said the slowing and receding waters are a positive sign for the rural community.

Todd Gill said he is helping clean up while keeping a keen watch on the water and forecast, since Manitoba Infrastructure lost confidence that the Rivers Dam could continue holding back water fromLake Wahtopanah, which is fed by the Little Saskatchewan River.

Gill's home has already been destroyed due to flooding.

WATCH| Risk of failing dam prompts evacuations:

Dam at risk of bursting prompts evacuations

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Manitoba Infrastructure lost confidence that the Rivers Dam could continue holding back water.

The Little Saskatchewan River remains historically high at the provincial dam at Rivers, even as levels are declining about 1 feet per day from its peak level recorded on July 1. The latest flow rate from the dam is down by half, from 12,000 cubic feet per second to 6,000.

The Rivers Dam, located 27 kilometres northwest of Brandon,is being monitored around the clock, according to the province's release on Saturday.

More than 100 evacuations have already taken place in the surrounding area.

As ofSaturday, 82 people had left their homes in the rural municipality of Riverdale, four from the rural municipality of Cornwallis, 16 from the rural municipality of Whitehead and three from Neepawa, a town 55 kilometres northeast of Brandon.

Some livestock havealso been relocated from the Riverdale and Whitehead.

Craig Mayor's home about threekilometres away from Riverswould have been ruined if it wasn't for volunteers stepping up.

"It was a little bit hectic," he said.

The province is asking people to stay away from flooding areas and not attempt to enter flooded bodies of water.

The province is also requesting only essential travel takes place in affected areas.

The province's crews are closely watching water-level conditions and regularly inspecting the infrastructure, with 11 standard emergency response trailers armed with pumps, water tubes and other critical flood equipment in the Westman area.