Sandbagging on hold as River stabilizes

Ken Johnston

Local officials halted sandbagging efforts Tuesday night and did not
call for renewal of them Wednesday morning as the river was holding
steady.
Town foreman Bob Jenson said that they have fortified the low spots to
be able to withstand a two foot rise in the river. A berm and sandbags
were utilized to raise the wall on the water in those spots.
However, eventhough the river is holding steady it is expected to rise
later today as the dam is opened in Fort Frances. The question is how
much will it rise.
Town Clerk Deb Bowman said that the mill in Fort Frances said when
circumstances are normal the rise per gate open is about 2 inches.
However nothing is normal with huge runoffs being recorded along the
Rainy River from its tributaries.
Based on the normal estimates if all 8 gates (plus the seven open
already) were opened it should rise16 inches, well below what Jenson
estimates the town can hold back.
However Bowman said that officials at the Lake of the Woods and Rainy
Lake Water Control Boards were recommending the town continue to build
the dike higher and sandbagging efforts. However, Jenson said that they
likely would be wasting time as they could not build a dike all along
the river fast enough if the water rises above the 2 feet level.
Water levels stabilized overnight but are still only a few feet away
from the road at the base of Rainy River.
That road was constructed as a dike in 1951 after the great flood of
1950. In 1997 a spring thaw and ice jam saw the water come right up onto
the road but it did not go over it.
Bowman said that they have received assurances that the control boards
will try to open the gates in stages to allow the impact to be gradual.
Councillor Larry Armstrong said, "We need to buy time," explaining that
time would allow the runoff to subside and for water to flow into Lake
of the Woods. It takes about 12 hours for the full effect of the gates
opening in Fort Frances to reach Rainy River.
There was no word as to whether the dam at Kenora will increase its
outflow to aid the situation.
It is hoped that decisions on how many gates and when they will be
opened will be made by mid-afternoon.
Tune into local radio stations CFOB and KQ92 to hear any calls there
might be for sandbaggers or evacuation.