Soldiers depart as Souris flood threat eases

Canadian Forces troops have wrapped up their flood work in Souris and Manitoba's premier is offering them heartfelt thanks.

Nearly 400Shilo-based soldiers hadjoined volunteersin frantically raising and reinforcing dikes to prepare for another crest on the Souris River, and Premier Greg Selinger said Tuesday that Manitobans appreciate their difficult and dangerous work.

The soldiers are leaving now thatfears of major flooding have begun to ebb. The river is only expected to rise another few centimetresovernight, officials said.

Steve Topping with Manitoba Water Stewardship said dikes in the town have just over a metre clearance and are holding.

The river "will stay at this high level for about a 24-hour period before it drops, so it's almost at crest now," Topping said during a flood briefing Tuesday afternoon.

"They have approximately four feet ([1.3 metres] of freeboard on those dikes. The forecast [came] in a little lower two feet lower than anticipated and they build two feet [0.6 metres] of freeboard in all our dikes."

Steve Ashton, Manitoba's emergency measures minister, said he's optimistic the town will escape the third crest of this season without more damage.

"It's a real achievement that we've been able to see these dikes raised up and we are prepared for the third crest, the record crest coming through the Souris," Ashton said. "It's now a question of watching it as it comes through and staying vigilant to protect those dikes."

In any case,Ashton said, the town couldn't be more prepared for the floodwaters, thanks to a heroic effort by volunteers and the Canadian Forces. The water will likely stay high for days to come as the river slowly subsides, he added.

Earlier Tuesday, the crest forecast was downgraded by about a metre in the latest flood bulletin from the province.

"[That]means there is more freeboard on the dikes there will be more room between what the top of the water will be and the top of the dike which gives additional protection," Selinger said.

The peak passed through the town of Melita on Sunday and was barely noticed. The town, located in the southwest corner of the province, was the first Manitoba community bracing for the surging river, which has caused destruction along its path through Saskatchewan and North Dakota.

The crest in Melitawas about 0.6 metres higher than the spring peak of 4.4 metres, but officials didn't realize it had topped out until the level started dropping on Monday.

Mayor Bob Walker saidthe levelwas lower than what provincial officials had told him to expect.

The town is on a higher elevation and was not expected to experience as much flooding as Souris, where residents have spent the past two weeks furiously putting together sandbags afterwitnessing the river's rage elsewhere.

In Minot, N.D., the water reached levels not seen in 130 years. Itbreached dikes and submerged more than 4,000 homes. Farther upstream in Saskatchewan, where the Souris begins, much of the village of Roche Percee was also inundated.

Topping has credited minimal rain in the Souris River basin and warm weather in recent days forreducing thecrest forecast.

But the river is still extremely high and cresting for the third time this year. If not for the dikes that have been put in place so long as they hold the damage would be extensive.