Floods of the Centuries: A History of Flood Disasters in the Red River Valley, 1776-1997

Paul G. Thomas is a professor of political science at the University of
Manitoba and the co-author of Canadian Public Administration:
Problematical Perspectives.

If the federal government were prepared to fund an institute to study
floods, Winnipeg would be the logical place to locate it. Situated on a
flood plain, the city and the communities to the south and west along
the Red and Assiniboine Rivers have been prone to disastrous flooding on
a regular basis. The spring flood of 1997 was the third-largest flood of
the Red River; somewhat smaller floods took place in 1826 and 1852.

This very readable history of floods provides accounts of earlier
floods, but it is those that live in the memories of most
Manitobans—the floods of 1950 and 1997—that receive the most
attention. During the latter floods, most of Winnipeg was protected by
the floodway popularly known as “Duff’s Ditch” in honor of former
Premier Duff Roblin. The floodway, which was constructed at great
expense during the 1960s, has saved the city and the province billions
of dollars in flood costs over the years.

The matter of costs is a central theme of this book. The idea of
government compensation for flood damage was unheard of before the 1950
flood. The anger of the flood victims of 1997 over the provincial
compensation program has damaged the reputation of Premier Filmon and
his government. As the author makes clear, dealing with floods involves
more than engineering. It is also a highly political matter that gives
rise to debates over individual versus collective responsibility.

For anyone who wants a historical perspective on recent events,
complemented by some stylish black-and-white photos, this book is a
great buy.