Warm weather throughout the next week may get rid of most of the snow across Manitoba, which could lead to flooding.

 A flood forecast released at the end of February indicated a moderate to major risk of flooding in Southern Manitoba. The slow melt we are getting now may alleviate some of that, but the possibility of flooding still exists, both inside and outside the city.

"The worst case scenario is going to depend on the weather," said Dr. Dave Woytowich, a Civil Engineer with 40 years of experience who now teaches at Red River College. "It's also going to be related to future percipitation and timing."

Future precipitation can always be a bit of a cause for concern, said Dr. Woytowich, referencing the April snowfall in the spring of 1997 that led to large-scale flooding over southern Manitoba. The biggest factors will be snow melt and spring rain.

"A lot of this water traverses through two or three major river systems," Dr. Woytowich said. "Ultimately, all the [water] will end up in Lake Winnipeg."

Homeowners should start to take precautions, Dr. Woytowich said. He urges owners to make sure your sump pumps are running and you have a backflow prevention valve.

"I'd keep in close contact with your local emergency response," Dr. Woytowich said about those in rural Manitoba. "They'll keep you posted. Don't wait, be prepared." He's been through this once, as his mother's house was just south of the floodway during the 1997 flood.

Dr. Woytowich warns those inside the city to take those precautions as well. If too much water enters the city's drainage system, they will have to shut the pipes down and pump it over the Floodway, which could cause water flowing back towards your house.

"You want to be prepared."

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