Friday 22 April 2011

The rising Red Sea...

http://www.winnipegfreepress.com/multimedia/pov/Flood--120335069.html

Here is a link to a local photojournalist's bird's eye view of the flooding in our province. Most of these photos are around the area of two towns in southern Manitoba but the extent of the flooding is much greater. It is not just affecting the southern part of the province, but farther north as well, as the entire river system eventually snakes its way from the US border up to Hudson's Bay in the north. It passes through Lake Winnipeg north of the city of Winnipeg, where I live, and then feeds through other rivers on its way to drain into the
Arctic Ocean via Hudson's Bay.

To date, there have been more than 1000 people evacuated, around 700 road closures (with some of those roads complete washed out) and two deaths attributed to the floods (that I recall reading about in the news). On April 20th, at Emerson (the US/Canada border), there was 73,100 cfs (cubic feet per second) of water flowing in the Red River. That's a helluva lot of water! The Red River is not expected to crest until the first week of May (2nd - 7th) and although the height has been decreased in the past few days, that crest is expected to hang around for a while.

The Red River is so called because the water is quite silty... and as you can see from the photos, that is the case with the flooding as well. Although overland flooding helps replenish the topsoil, it also leaves behind terrible damage from the silt deposited on buildings, vehicles and farm equipment.

Spring Cleanup this year will be of epic proportions this year.

7 comments:

  1. More importantly hen, how are you doing, are you settled in yet?

    ReplyDelete
  2. Jimmy: I'm getting settled... slowly but surely. It's strange to be living in an apartment. It's been a quarter century since I last did. It's strange without the dog. It's strange to not be working. I am bored out of my skull these days and now that most things are unpacked, I find myself on the computer or reading a lot. I can't even go for a bike ride... I need two good arms for that. But I see the surgeon on Wed. and I'm telling him to fix the damn shoulder so I can get back to having a real life once again.

    So far, this year has sucked.... big time. It's time for that to change.

    But thanks for asking! xoxo

    ReplyDelete
  3. Take a leaf out of most women's book of shoddy driving skills, be pleased that you cannae ride your bike. I know I am. If Dr Bones is unable to fix your arm (taking into consideration that he is Canadian and therefore probably more interested in fixing sandbags, rather than broken wings,to hold back the flood water)then give us a wee phone and I'll try to get you a job as a protestant goalkeeper. They only have one good arm as well hen.

    "Sucked" now that really is a word that should be put into the same Amerikay drawer as "Awesome."

    ReplyDelete
  4. I am not most women, am a very good driver, and equally as skilled on my bike, I will have you know. And I always keep an eye on everyone else because they are the ones lacking skill... I happen to value my hide and don't want to see it scraped along the tarmac.

    Well, technically I am Protestant, having been baptised as a babe, but I follow no religion and certainly not football. So, if it's okay with you, I'll just watch from the stands where you can fill me in on the details of the game.... as I know nothing about it. Or at least, tell me which colour to cheer for so I don't get massacred by the crowd!

    ReplyDelete
  5. I admire a woman who shows her indignation by doing this with her words. Not that you ever had to convince me about you being a babe of course. For your heathen sins you can sit at my side and cheer on the boys in green.

    I'll drive home though doll eh? Just to be on the safe side.

    ReplyDelete
  6. A babe... well, I like that! I am also a babe who can drive. But I'll let you get us home safe and sound.

    Nothing wrong with bein' a heathen, is there? It doesn't mess up my Sundays, at least...

    Green. Right. I'll remember that.

    ReplyDelete
  7. Those pictures certainly capture the extent of the flooding. It's unreal. It is impressive to see the homesteads sitting safely for now due to earlier flood prevention planning.

    Also, I have no doubts about your biking/driving abilities! Any person who can handle a horse can certainly handle a car or bike with ease.

    ReplyDelete

So you have something to say about all this, do you?
Well, let's hear it, then!