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The Red River in Selkirk, Manitoba on April 10, 2020. (CHRISD.CA FILE) The Red River in Selkirk, Manitoba on April 10, 2020. (CHRISD.CA FILE)

The Red River Floodway gates south of Winnipeg. (CHRISD.CA FILE) The Red River Floodway gates south of Winnipeg. (CHRISD.CA FILE)

WINNIPEG — The Red River is cresting in southern Manitoba as officials remain cautiously optimistic river levels will remain in check the next few weeks.

“This is good news as the substantial run-off we’re seeing throughout the Red River Basin will remain at the lower end of the forecast, with levels similar to those we saw in 2006 at Emerson and Letellier and levels closer to 2019 north from St. Jean Baptiste,” said Infrastructure Minister Ron Schuler on Tuesday.

“We always prepare for the worst but hope for the best, and so far the weather has co-operated. Cooler temperatures have slowed the melt and helped control high water in Manitoba, and we aren’t expecting any major spring storms in the week ahead.”

The Red River has crested from Emerson to St. Jean Baptiste, while Highway 75 remains open at Morris due to an earthen ramp.

The river is expected to peak today at Morris, Ste. Agathe and St. Adolphe, and within the next 24 hours at the Red River Floodway inlet south of Winnipeg. A flood warning remains in place for the river from Emerson to the Red River Floodway inlet.

The Red River level sits at around 18.7 feet at James Avenue with the crest forecast to arrive within the next two days at between 19 and 19.3 feet. The current flow in the floodway channel is almost 20,000 cubic feet per second.

The Red River is now projected to return within its banks in early May with the Red River Floodway continuing operations until mid-May, depending on future weather conditions.