Tuesday, February 17, 2026
The province of Manitoba has begun annual ice-jam mitigation operations on the Red River and will continue the work until March 10.
The program began in 2006 and involves cutting and breaking river ice to reduce the risk of flooding caused by ice jams on the lower Red River and other rivers, a provincial government release said.
Ice jams occur when floating ice blocks downstream movement, causing water to back up and potentially overflow riverbanks.
Remote-controlled ice-cutting units and three Amphibex icebreakers are used each year to cut and break approximately 28 kilometres of ice on the Red River from Netley Marsh to Selkirk over a width of approximately 100 metres, the release added, and work is also frequently undertaken on the Icelandic River at Riverton and at the outlet of the Portage Diversion.
Current plans call for ice cutting operations in Riverton but at present none are expected to required at the Portage Diversion, the release said.
River users, hikers and outdoor enthusiasts are advised to stay off the ice where notices are posted or where evidence of recent ice cutting is apparent. Ice fishers are also reminded to remove huts or other materials in the areas where the ice-jam mitigation program is taking place, the release said.
