widespread drought

With spring’s arrival, flood concerns rise

With spring’s arrival, flood concerns rise

I’m staring out my window into a snow drift almost to the eaves. Near-record accumulation and continued freezing temperatures are raising fears of widespread spring flooding, something we haven’t experienced in several years. Rather, we’ve lately become more familiar with the unpredictable flooding caused by extreme rain events. That’s the bad news. But last summer’s widespread drought severely depleted soil moisture, which means there’s a very large capacity to absorb excess runoff; and another dry spring could have spelled disaster for farmers. The good news is, with a gradual thaw and not much spring rain, our farmers could be in good shape heading into the growing season.

Manitoba Hydro won't meet winter export budget, thanks to widespread drought and low water

Manitoba Hydro won't meet winter export budget, thanks to widespread drought and low water

Manitoba Hydro doesn't expect to generate enough electricity this winter to meet its export budget, thanks to months of dry conditions across the Lake Winnipeg watershed. The Crown corporation is trying to hold back as much water as possible to ensure Manitobans have enough electricity this winter. But there won't be enough water flowing through the Nelson River to allow the province to meet its targets for exporting power outside its borders.