Brandon to get flood upgrades as city braces for more rain
CBC News | Posted: June 27, 2014 4:52 PM | Last Updated: June 27, 2014
$27 million project will see dikes improved, built
Brandon's flood protection is getting upgrades.
The province said Friday the project has three components and builds on new dikes already built on 18th Street North.
The dikes on both sides of the Assiniboine River will be improved, making them longer and higher enough to withstand a one in 300 year flood event.
Upgrades to the lift station along the Assiniboine River corridor will keep sewer systems going in the event of a flood.
A new dike will also be built to protect Highway 110.
The province said part of the money for the cost-shared $27 million project comes from $38 million in cost savings from the Red River Floodway expansion.
Some of those savings will also go towards upgrading emergency and temporary diking in seven small communities hit by flooding in 2011
The announcement comes as Brandon is bracing for more rain.
Brandon Mayor Shari Decter Hirst said some basements in the city are still wet after last week's downpour, which caused some overland flooding and sewer back-ups.
Decter Hirst said residents are hoping they'll be spared another downpour.
"More even-spaced than it was last week where we had that deluge, which really puts a lot of pressure on the storm sewer system, which backs up," she said. "But again, it's just constant, just constant rain."
Decter Hirst said the entire Assiniboine Valley is drenched.
Her biggest worry is for farmers who either can't get a crop in or spray.