Minnedosa braces for crest

MINNEDOSA — The Town of Minnedosa partnered with volunteers on Friday morning to fill sandbags ahead of this weekend’s expected crest of the Little Saskatchewan River that runs through town.

The public works department oversaw 15 volunteers in the morning who stockpiled several pallets full of sandbags for use today and Sunday. Mayor Ken Cameron said the town was being proactive.

“We are just trying to get ahead of the game here and get some sandbags out,” Cameron said while staff loaded sandbags into the back of a pickup truck in the public works shop. “It’s better to be over-prepared. And the fact that they can predict what’s coming down our river (means) we can prepare for it.”

The town was expecting the river to rise two and a half feet over the weekend as water flows down through the community on its way to the Assiniboine River.

Low-lying areas in Minnedosa were being sandbagged, including Victoria Bay and Second Avenue Northeast, which sit near to the river that weaves through Minnedosa.

Victoria Bay resident Cheryl Forsythe told the Sun that she was “very” worried about flooding this year. Her property sits on an embankment of the river, and the property has been flooded three times before, flooding into her garage.

Another couple of residents in the neighbourhood said they were surprised to see the area prioritized. Alfred and Betty Iverson, who live about 30 metres from an embankment, said they had been flooded in 2020 when water reached their garage and flooded their yard. They will only start to worry if there is a heavy rain this weekend at the same time that the river is expected to crest, they said.

Culverts across the street had been plugged so that the Little Saskatchewan River could not flow up through them into the residential neighbourhood.

“The river’s really not that high” as of Friday morning, Alfred said. “I was surprised, but it’s good to see that they’re preparing for that.”

Sandbags had also been used to clog culverts in downtown Minnedosa near the bridge, and in front of a home across from the Minnedosa courthouse. More sandbags were also expected to be delivered to the low-lying areas in the late afternoon Friday or today, when an influx of volunteers was expected.

Dexter Dalgleish, a 27-year-old concrete tradesman, was one of many shovelling sand into bags on Friday morning. He participated with his three co-workers from Brandon-area company Crete-Co starting at 8 a.m. sharp when the town’s volunteer sandbagging event began.

“We are used to the backbreaking work, so it’s right up our alley,” he told the Sun during a pause between shovelling sand into bags and tying them shut. “We’ll be here for the day; whatever they need.”

The concrete company leadership wanted to give back to Minnedosa, which has been a good partner in the past, he said.

“This town has been good to us, and we want to reciprocate that and help them out when they need it.”

Volunteer Jan Magnusson, 50, a Minnedosa pharmacy worker, said she came out with her husband because she believes it’s a neighbourly thing to do.

“Community is everything,” she said. “Whether it’s a flood, or a school fundraiser, or someone is sick with cancer, everybody comes together no matter what.”

Magnusson said that community is a two-way street and she believed she was just doing her part.

“Personally, I have been on the receiving end of community spirit, and I want to give back,” she said. “Everybody does what they can and it all makes a difference.”

She also came out during the 2020 floods to volunteer and help deal with flooding.

In downtown Minnedosa, public works crews were hopping out of pickup trucks with sandbags late in the morning. A light rain fell on them throughout the morning and early afternoon.

The mayor said he was not surprised to see a good turnout of volunteers this year.

“The community always pulls together in a time of need,” Cameron said. “You put the word out and the volunteers always come.”

“You be as prepared as you can, and Mother Nature is probably going to throw you a curveball. That’s life.”

» cmcdowell@brandonsun.com