Seeding delayed for flooded Prairie farmers

The Government of Saskatchewan does not say a single farmer has developed a crop in the ground and things are not looking much better farm elsewhere across the prairies waterlogged.

Spokesman for Saskatchewan Agriculture Grant McLean said spring seedlings are delayed in the province due to flooding, with the region of the southwest of the province particularly soggy. But McLean said it is still early and there is much opportunity for a strong culture of 2011.

"We still consider may as our domination seeding months in many cases, we are always optimistic," he said. "We will have the opportunity to take advantage of the moisture and get some quite good crops, once that we get mother nature cooperant and enter us in the field".

Farmers in southwestern Saskatchewan are usually first in the field. But this year they may be the last seed, or even not at all.

"Sooner or later, it has to do better."-Farmer Alfred Sattler

McLean said with favourable weather, some farmers in less flood-prone regions may be able to start working their fields in ten days.

Alfred Sattler, who has been farming near Regina since the 1940s, said he has never seen a wet spring as this spring.

Tending his cattle for the moment, he is still optimistic things can turn around crop-wise.

"You just hope and pray that the climate is changing." That it is improving. Sooner or later, it was better, "he says.

But if conditions not improve quickly and then Sattler, 70, said he cannot put any seed in the soil for the first time in his life.

"He bored a little." But, what can you do? What can you do about it? Pray and hope that things change in the coming days.

In Manitoba, Gene Nerbas, who farms a few kilometres south of the Shellmouth dam, just north of Russell, Manitoba, said streams turned to rivers and floods by land has devasated of hundreds of thousands of hectares.

"It with water from Saskatchewan," said Nerbas, adding he would probably planted a crop in for the second consecutive year.

Several parts of southern Manitoba and Saskatchewan are flooded. CBCElsewhere Manitoba - in the Southwest, the Valley of the Red River and regions Interlake - fields are completely flooded and will need weeks of good weather to dry things. And even when the fields are fairly dry work, many farmers will have to spend time to their fields clearing debris prior to seeding.

Sunday, meanwhile, residents of the First Nation of Roseau River South of Winnipeg continued to leave this community. Responsible for emergency measures were trying to determine where evacuees could go, with temporary Winnipeg already shelters fill with people of another community inundated North of the capital, First Nation of Peguis.

It is expected that all residents of 850 Roseau River will join to almost 1,000 others who left their homes because the safe road access in and out of their home was flooded. Manitoba two of its Amphibex ice machines moved to the West end of the province to remove ice jams on the Saskatchewan River and Carrot River, which created conditions of high water near The Pas.

There are currently 30 States of emergency declared by the municipalities in Manitoba and 77 provincial roads have been affected by flood waters, 52 that are closed. Approximately 650 municipal roads are closed.

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Prairie flooding move 1,000 as storms to displacement is

More than 1,000 people have been displaced across the Prairie provinces by the rivers increasing threat of overflow their banks.

In Manitoba, people about 866 already have been forced from their homes because the mouse, Assiniboine River and Red poured on their banks in some places.

Most of the evacuations were precautionary, as officials are more concerned with roads being washed, which would isolate persons who may need help.

More than 600 municipal roads have been closed by the flooding, which officials say is much more widespread than the last flood bad in 2009. There are 32 States of emergency declared premises, compared to 16 in 2009.

Rivers of the region are always fully this time of year as the melting of the snow, but officials say water levels are some of the higher levels since the beginning of the record-keeping.

The Souris River in the southwest of the province, a grouse at the Melita, but it is expected of high water levels will be drag as long as a week. Except in the case of severe weather, no other ridges are expected, but red and Assiniboine rivers meet at Winnipeg, have not yet to crest. They are the pace to do so at the same time, perhaps in early May.

"The good news is - at least in terms of storm systems - they're plowing in half East of the country," CBC News meteorologist says Michelle Leslie. "" "". The jet stream is really puncture them south of the Prairie provinces. ?

Evacuation centres are open in several municipalities throughout Manitoba to accommodate persons expelled by the floods, reports Sean Kavanagh of the CBC.

In neighbouring Saskatchewan Watershed Authority warned that floodwaters have not yet his earlier in the eastern part of the province. More than a dozen communities of the province are in a State of emergency.

Thursday, two other communities in Saskatchewan - Standing Buffalo First Nation and the village of Lebret - stated to flood emergencies.

Volunteers were sandbagging around Standing Buffalo to protect homes and school. Several families have been relocated. The community is approximately 80 kilometres northeast of Regina.

The battle of the River at North Battleford is expected to Crest as early as Friday. Regina Wascana Creek should Crest some time early next week. But officials hope that the level will be not much higher than it already is.

There is some good news in the province, as the melting of the snow ended in many areas. Peak flows took place, water levels are declining in some places. Last Mountain Lake peak in early May.

It is the Cypress Hills area that everyone watching.

The Frenchman River should still see a flood nasty, something which has not hit the region since 1952. Weyburn, Swift Current to Moose Jaw water levels continue to decline.

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Prairie flood fears see no remedy

More than 1,000 people in Manitoba and Saskatchewan have been forced to leave their homes as flood waters continue to rise, with concerns that the Red River and Assiniboine could Crest at the same time in Winnipeg.

Both are expected to Crest late April to early may, meteorologist CBC Johanna Wagstaffe said.

The number of evacuees increased nearly $ 800 in Manitoba, with nearly 600 provincial and municipal highways affected by floods and 32 municipalities in emergency situations.

Wagstaffe, stated that the red and Assiniboine is now virtually without ice, but that water levels are rising as crest dates approach.

Manitoba officials say about 700 employees provinces work on the response of flooding across the province, and municipal employees, private entrepreneurs and non-governmental organizations such as the army of salvation, the Red Cross and Mennonite disaster Service.

Minister Steve Ashton, Manitoba emergency measures, says the province will be wrestling with the legacy of flooding this year, the time after that rivers Crest and withdrew the water dousing a large part of the province.

Water levels are at least as high that they were in 2009 - the season of second-worst flood in the past 150 years.

This flood caused 70 million dollars in damages and this year should be just more expensive.

Ashton said of water levels will cause problems in May. He said residents and cottagers will have to remain vigilant and keep an eye on the wind that has the potential to galvanise the swollen Lakes.

In Saskatchewan, fifteen communities have declared States of emergency and more 440 people on the two First Nations were forced to leave their homes.

Lynn Acoose, head of the First Nation of the Sakimay, explains some of the roads are flooded and many homes is waterlogged. She said also there was concern that use of people of drinking water tanks and wells may be contaminated.

Cool temperatures have saved many communities of the worst scenarios. Wagstaffe warned, however, that temperatures should increase and there are still some snow left cover to melt.

The province Watershed Authority, explains the city of Regina can expect water levels in the steep Wascana Lake end of the week.

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Image of Prairie flooding worsens

Manitoba officials worked quickly Monday to build dikes higher along the Assiniboine River, while their counterparts in Saskatchewan has warned that the flood would remain a threat to the rest of the month.

Last week, a large part of the Prairie provinces was flooded or in danger of being, with parts of the region, seeing the water more high levels of 150 years.

About 700 people in Manitoba have already been forced to leave their homes, dozens of roads were closed and officials are asking for more vigilance.

"Many ridges are some time offshore," emergency measures Minister Steve Ashton said Sunday. "We are not yet necessarily at the beginning of the spring flood stage."

One of the major trade routes of the province, highway 75, was closed Monday because rising water on the Red River and its tributaries is unworkable.

Truckers to the United States are forced to make wide detours because of the closure.

Dikes along the Assiniboine River upstream of Winnipeg have been built to withstand water seen in 1976, the worst year on record levels. But the River was free of ice this year and officials fear that jams this year will be worse that they would be otherwise levels of water.

Officials said the water level has fallen during the night on the Assiniboine River in Brandon, but flood watches are still in force of Russell in Portage la Prairie.

A small house is seen near the flood waters in Lumsden, a small town north of Regina. (David Stobbe/Reuters)

"We have not had a breach of the dam at this time - just over-topping," said Steve Topping with Manitoba water resources management. "" "". Equipment following the jam as it progresses down the stream and they raise you the dikes to contain the water.

Temperatures are forecast to rise this week, so more melting of snow are expected.

The peaks of the Assiniboine River forecasts have increased because of snow and rain which falls in the whole of Saskatchewan over the weekend, meteorologist for CBC News Johanna Wagstaffe said.

Flood concerned gave rise to States of emergency declared the weekend in the municipalities of St. Fran?ois Xavier, Cartier and Headingley.

The community of Wawanese should know a second crest probably next week, and a high water notice was published for the Gladstone region due to a second Crest expected on the Whitemud River in the coming days.

The worst of the flooding cases does not appear to be materializing, but officials calling for vigilance. Saskatchewan Watershed Authority much said water flows in half South of the province have hit a plateau because cold weather slows the melting.

Fifteen communities have declared States of emergency and more than 400 people in two First Nations communities have been forced to leave their homes due to flooding.

Water continues flowing Wascana Creek and the river called engorged, and the Regina Woodpecker is still a week.

The height of the dikes of sand around Wascana Creek Regina bag is raised. The city has already put 40 000 bags of sand in place to protect low-lying areas. Approximately 20,000 sandbags more were completed and the city plans to complete a further 20 000.

"It's like a war zone here with everyone moving and things floating around," said Len Antal, who lives on Crooked Lake in the Valley of the river called. "Everyone here has been incredible kick on the other."

"If the wind never picks up and the ice breaks and begins to move, really like to move, it will just shear houses down like toothpicks.

The Premier of Saskatchewan, Brad Wall, said that the province will do what he can to help prevent damage due to flooding. His Government allocated 22 million in February to help communities design and strengthen the protection against floods.

Wall predicted another $ 30 million may be required, but said Monday that communities and ministries of the Government must continue their work without worrying about cost now.

The city of Medicine Hat in Alberta, remained under State of emergency Monday, but elsewhere in the province, floods appear to be decreasing. Officials are still worried, however, the accumulation of snow in the border region of Cypress Hills with Saskatchewan. Snow barely began to melt and could carry torrents of water in surface water courses.

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