Devastating Losses

The current flood in Manitoba is not only devastating to the people, but also to agriculture and livestock. Some of the best farmland in Canada is currenlty underwater by the forced release of water from the Assiniboine River. The Manitoba government felt that they had no choice but to make a cut and begin the intentional breech of the dike on the Assiniboine River near Portage La Prairie. They estimate there will be 150 homes swamped by the water.

There is no way to know what the damage will be to people's property, and for many their livelihoods. The efforts to save livestock will more than likely not be enough and thousands of beef & dairy cattle, sheep, hogs, and poultry will be lost. For the animals that will be managed to be saved, the debate of where they can stay, what they will eat, and who will feed them is still a big problem.

Manitoba has some of Canada's best farmland. But the main reason that it is so good is that this land is on a flood plain, and unfortunately, most of it will be lost too.

View the links below to get an in depth look at this crisis.

http://www.portageonline.com/
http://www.cbc.ca/manitoba/features/flood2011/