City officials said the Red River crested in Winnipeg on Wednesday.

Its level was reported at 19.6 feet (5.9 metres) at the James Avenue Station, near downtown Winnipeg.

While the river crested Wednesday, city officials said higher levels were reported on April 7, when the river was sitting at 20.8 feet (6.2 metres).

The lower level in Winnipeg now is thanks to three flood-protection measures, including the Red River Floodway, Portage Diversion and Shellmouth Dam.

Without those three systems lowering river levels, flooding would be greater this year than in 1950, said Grant Mohr, City of Winnipeg flood planning engineer.

Levels on the Red River are expected to drop following the crest, but city officials said it will still remain high for an extended period of time.

Throughout Manitoba, meanwhile, 97 provincial roads are affected by flooding, with 61 of them closed, said provincial officials. An additional 630 municipal roads are closed.


More information on flooding is available online at www.manitoba.ca/flooding

Highway information is online at www.gov.mb.ca/mit/roadinfo or by phoning 1-877-MBRoads (1-877-627-6237) and on Twitter by following @MBGov.