Residents in the rural municipality of St. Andrews and other communities along the Red River are concerned as river levels continue to rise due to an early build up of ice jams.

While property owners along the river traditionally don't have to worry about flooding until the spring, this year the threat has come early -- thanks partly to the freezing weather.

River levels are also higher this year going into the winter months, after much of southern Manitoba and the Interlake were battered by an unusal fall snowstorm.

Jim Stinson, emergency co-ordinator for the R-M of St. Andrews, says the current situation is unprecedented.

He says some properties have already begun to take on water.

Stinson says the R-M has pumps running at different locations and sandbags have been moved to key areas.