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PROVINCE PROVIDES UPDATE ON DAM AT RIVERS  
Posted: September 1, 2020  
 
Media Bulletin - Manitoba  
 
September 1, 2020  
PROVINCE PROVIDES UPDATE ON DAM AT RIVERS  
 
Manitoba Infrastructure is advising the water level at the dam at Rivers on the Little Saskatchewan River is at the crest of the spillway and the spillway has essentially stopped flowing water. Water is flowing through the conduit at approximately 175 cubic feet per second.  
 
A thick film of algae is currently preventing a detailed inspection of the spillway including the concrete walls, slabs and joints. Manitoba Infrastructure anticipates being able to complete a full inspection of the dam in approximately two weeks once the spillway can be cleaned thoroughly.  
 
Manitoba’s Hydrologic Forecast Centre advises that there is moderate precipitation in the forecast over the next week in the Rivers area, but it is not expected to have a significant effect on the water levels of Lake Wahtopanah.  
 
Manitoba Infrastructure will reach out to local governments in the area to advise of any projected changes to water levels on Lake Wahtopanah and the downstream portions of the Little Saskatchewan and Assiniboine rivers.

This thread is about more permanent solutions. What if these gravel roads were paved? What if a permanent solution was pave the 2 miles of Hunter and 2 miles of 34th to the Hwy 1. That would eliminate the washboards. What would the complaint be then or would there?

This is the only reasonable solution and it is the simplest cheapest and could be being done for the most part with the current plug in place. The only thing that it doesn't address is grand valley road still floods further west during periods of high water, but that has always been an issue from time to time.

If the roads were paved, I think people would be more accepting of the additional drive. Did you have the opportunity this weekend to drive down the gravel roads?  
 
It just plain stupid when people say “too bad” or “suck it up”, when they have no idea how bad the gravel roads are. They are downright dangerous when the washboard is at its worst, which doesn’t take long after being scraped down because of the high amount of traffic. The other safety factor is now if the residents of grand valley need help, it’s a lengthy time to get it. What if there is a fire or if someone needs an ambulance. Good luck.  
 
And to answer your question, what would people complain about? I think, justifiably, the amount of time the plug has been in the place. The threat is over. The dam isn’t going to explode and send metric tonnes of water into Walmart and Home Depot.  
 
The province and city are stalling and probably in a finger pointing match about who is going to foot the bill on removing the plug.  
 
The real solution would be to add a road by the lights near Safeway that connects to grand valley near the research station.

Build the road up into a hill that acts like a plug.

I sure hope it’s gone by snowfall

Yep. Moving out of the city and into the country certainly can have its disadvantages.

Permanently rerouting the traffic all the way up to #1 is not acceptable. Who wants to go off on a detour in the opposite direction of where you're headed. The plug needs to be removed. It was necessary once in 200 years. This time was a false alarm. On the off chance it's needed in the future they can rebuild it temporarily.  
I also suggested in the past that they can build cement retaining wall on either side of the road and run the dike right up to the walls. Then the plug can be much smaller and easier/cheaper to place and remove. Another good suggestion was to curve the road upward to join 18th at the lights by the gas station.  
 
Edited by bigmoe, 2020-09-08 16:18:42

I added a modified blue line to Hutchsters pic. Would this be high enough on the dike?  
 
Edited by bigmoe, 2020-09-08 16:15:04

I agree.  
 
The folks saying “too bad” don’t have a clue how bad the roads are, or how frustrating it is to be rerouted, especially right now when it’s FOR NO REASON. During a serious flood threat like 2011, I get it.  
 
This plug has probably been in place longer than the flood of 2011 come to think of it.  
 
If grand valley had a service road in line with Safeway that wouldn’t be too bad.  
 
Or make the plug drivable.  
 
Or anything.  
 
But right now, the situation with the plug is absolutely asinine.

Well the city boundary is Turtle Crossing... Are you ok with the city plugging the road there? Who says they have to offer you access? I am simply playing devils advocate here.  
 
I think the city, RM and province need to find a solution to this problem, its happened before and it will happen again. How much is enough? How much is too much? Figure it out...

no risk right now so just remove it  
 
and discussion for further suggestions can occur after  
 
can't even imagine the havic in the winter if they leave it there  
and it won't be too long unfortunately for that big snow storm to come.

There was algae on the dam that had to be cleaned before an inspection of the dam could take place. So they say.  
 
There won’t be a catastrophic flood. Remove the plug. This is ridiculous. The rivers dam isn’t exactly the Hoover dam...  
 
If the threat of a flood was serious, the people whose homes were evacuated would still be evacuated. There wouldn’t be boats allowed on the rivers lake.  
 
Maybe next time the plug should extend into 18th and block it off so everyone else can have a sense of how annoying it is to be rerouted. Just take 1st street! No biggie! Maybe then there would be a sense of urgency to remove the redundant plug.  
 
And it will be a few more weeks by the sounds of it.

Rivers lake is very low right now, so much that all docks from the cabins are sitting high and dry.  
The shore is nothing but rocks being so low  
Government boat launch is dry!  
Chimo boat launch is just about unusable  
Are they trying to drain the lake down completely before they give a green light for the plug removal  
The time has come and gone for the plug to come out!!!  
Figure something else out for flood protection !

I think the biggest reason for leaving it in place is that it provide safety for the many while inconveniencing a few. When they are 100% satisfied it is safe, they will remove it. Oh well, just go around. Other multiple ways to go around.

Brandon's Emergency Services Dept. is too wishy washy to make a decision and wants someone else (the province) to tell them it's okay to remove the plug. Step down onto the floor Mr. Kayes because the boogie man is not under your bed. Common sense needs to prevail!

It is safe. There won’t be a catastrophic flood even if the dam had a huge catastrophic failure, which it wont.  
 
If it was going to fail, it would have done so when the dam was well over capacity.  
 
 
The plug serves no purpose other than to remind tax payers that our government sits around with its thumb you know where.  
 
You know what’s unsafe? The washboard gravel roads.  
 
This inconvenience for a few is a safety issue. Take a drive down the 34th street road near the research station. Take the service road in front of John Deere and Windsor plywood, keep following it into grand valley and you will see what I mean. It’s not safe.  
 
How would you like to be rerouted several kilometers to get home? On roads that are in horrible shape. What if you had a family emergency? Too bad so sad? Maybe you need a big dump of dirt on your street.  
 
This situation is insane. The risk of a flood has well been over. Take a look at the river. It has sandbars in it because the water level is so low.  
 
If it was truly still a risk, Walmart and all the homes in the low lying flood plain in Brandon would still be evacuated. And there would be no boats allowed on the rivers lake.  
 
The risk is over. It has been for months now. You have seen too many movies if you think an avalanche of water is going to come gushing down the river and the plug on grand valley road is going to save everyone.  
 
The plug needs to go.  
 
The citizens of grand valley deserve a tax credit from the citizens of Brandon. We took the extra gas hit, lost time and the damage to our vehicles so you guys could go to Walmart and the corral Centre.  
 
I think $1000 to everyone on grandvalley should be sent as compensation. Hero pay.  
 
And for every month this goes on longer, an extra $500.

No one told you to live on the almighty grand valley road.

And? When I moved in, Walmart wasn’t built on the flood plain. Grandvalley wasn’t being blocked so you guys could go shopping.  
 
My main access to my home is blocked. FOR NO REASON.  
 
How would you like access to your home blocked? Imagine every time you had to drive home you had to drive several extra kilometers on roads worthy for a dirt bike. For months on end. For no reason. The flood risk is over. I don’t mind when there is actual danger. This is bureaucratic nonsense.  
 
 
And what say on the added danger to citizens of grand valley?  
- dangerous roads.  
- emergency services are way further away now.  
 
What about our safety?

A friend was telling me that Rivers water has significantly dropped in the last week. It’s way below the regular dock levels and they could walk a fair way into the water and it only being knee deep. Made me wonder why the plug is still at grand valley

What has the RM of Cornwallis said about taking care of the wash boards?

It doesn't affect the city so they don't care.  
 
I think I'm going to send them an invoice for my gas, vehicle "wear and tear" and my time. Can someone send me their accounts payable email? If the city doesn't budge on the plug, I feel I deserve compensation for my inconvenience. (I'm kidding.... but barely...).  
 
In all seriousness, this has gone on way too long, its not even reasonable at this point.  
 
Cornwallis scrapes down the washboard from time to time, but within a few days it is back to washboard because the gravel roads were never intended for hundreds of people driving on them multiple times a day.  
 
Is the city going to send compensation to the RM of Cornwallis for having to scrape the roads down 10x more often than usual?  
 
This plug has a cost to those it affects. Time, money, and damage to vehicles. It is NOT a long term solution.  
 
In a temporary situation, whatever, let it be, but this is absolute insanity. I could darn well walk across the river in some spots because the water level is so low.

They are safe.  
 
No one is saying their lives don’t matter? Of course it’s ok to plug grand valley in the event of a flood threat, no one is arguing against that. A permanent solution would be better though.  
 
Washboard roads aren’t safe. Having main access to the city cut off in an emergency is unsafe. What if there is a fire? Or someone needs an ambulance?  
 
The flood threat is over.  
 
Remove the plug.

I’m willing to bet it’s there through out winter! Someone dropped the ball for sure on this one!

Looking for updates !  
The two weeks have passed and no more news.  
Rivers lake is lower, and lower

Just got word they are starting to remove it on Sept 21st and hopefully be done by the 24th

Where did you get that info from? About them taking the plug out by the 24th?

My job

Merry Christmas  
https://www.brandon.ca/public-notices-details?var=5964

City just confirmed they are removing the plug! Finally!!!!