Provincial authorities are preparing to open the floodway as river levels rise throughout southern Manitoba.

The Manitoba government says that river ice must be clear upstream from the floodway inlet before the gates are opened and conditions appear favourable in the next day or two to begin operating the floodway.

Manitoba Transportation and Infrastructure (MT) is reporting that the Red River has now crested at Emerson. The river level there reached 781.57 feet on Tuesday, nearly two feet lower than in 2017.

A flood warning remains in effect for the Red River from Letellier to Morris. There is also now a flood warning in effect for the Red River near St. Adolphe. A flood watch remains for all other areas along the Red River from Emerson to the Red River Floodway. There is a risk of moderate flooding in these areas.

The river levels have exceeded channel capacity at St. Jean and Morris and are expected to reach channel capacity near St. Adolphe within the next 24 hours. Water levels could rise above channel capacities at other locations within the Red River Valley depending on the precipitation received and the rate of melting.

Peak flows north of Emerson are expected to occur sometime between April 6 and 16.

Pumping operations are underway at Emerson, West Lynn, Letellier, St. Jean, Morris, St. Adolphe, Rosenort, Brunkild and Dominion City.

There is a risk of minor to moderate flooding in the eastern region including the Roseau and Rat rivers and the Whiteshell Lakes area.

Much of the Red River basin received between two and 10 millimetres of precipitation on Tuesday. Another system is expected to bring between 10 and 20 millimetres of rain/ snow mix to southern Manitoba from Wednesday to Thursday. According to MTI, this could result in a higher or longer crest or a second crest at some locations along the Red River.

Highway 75 is expected to remain open based on the current forecast.

Since Tuesday, MTI is reporting that the Red River has dropped four inches at Emerson to 781.18 feet, and has gone up 19 inches at Morris to 769.94 feet and 17 inches at Ste. Agathe to 760.89 feet. The Roseau River has dropped five inches at Gardenton to 963.85 feet and gone up seven inches at Dominion City (PR 200) to 778.82 feet. The Rat River has gone up six inches at Otterburne to 766.71 feet.