Manitoba buys two new $35,000 sandbagging machines to fight flooding risk
Manitoba has purchased two new $35,000 sandbag-making machines as high water levels and widespread spring flooding threaten much of the province.
“The new machine will be ready to produce thousands of sandbags for use in the Westman area including the city of Brandon,” said Premier Greg Selinger in a statement. “Levels along the Assiniboine River were unusually high going into the winter freeze-up and flood outlooks suggest flooding in many areas along the Assiniboine, even with average winter weather.”
The two new machines bring the provincial complement to five. The province will also purchase metal bins and conveyor belts to use with the sandbag-making machines. Each machine has multiple sand chutes that increase sandbag production. At full production, this type of machine can produce 35,000 bags in an eight-hour shift.
To be fully effective, each sandbag-making system will require about 40 volunteers. “We are counting on Manitobans in all areas of the province to continue the great tradition of stepping up to help when nature sends what is expected to be very high water our way,” said Selinger.
The Shellmouth reservoir has been lowered by 6.1 metres (20 feet) to 424 m (1,391.4 ft.) and is expected to be reduced by another 2.1 m (seven ft.) to 421.8 m (1,384 ft.) before the spring melt begins. Maintenance work at the Portage Diversion is underway including dredging the reservoir, providing erosion protection and removing excess vegetation. The Assiniboine River dikes east of Portage la Prairie are being assessed and will be strengthened as needed, the premier said.
