Faces of the Flood: Manitoba's Courageous Battle Against the Red River

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

In this inspiring account of the great flood of 1997, we see Manitobans
dealing with adversity through cooperation, perseverance, and humor. A
sign on a law office in one of the southern towns besieged by the flood
read, simply: “Send sponges.” A farmer who lost his home to the
flood is quoted as saying, “You do not have to be crazy to live here,
but it helps.”

As the flood moved up the Red River from North Dakota, the river spread
to a width of 25 miles and became known as the Red Sea. Some of the
larger communities south of Winnipeg were saved by ring dikes, but homes
and farms outside of towns were inundated. For the 60 percent of
Manitobans who live in Winnipeg there was protection in the form of the
floodway. To prevent the flood waters from making an end run around the
floodway, a 15-mile temporary dike was erected.

The real story of the great flood has to do not with engineering
marvels, but with the generosity of Manitobans who came to one
anothers’ aid through sandbagging and other volunteer activities; with
the contributions of Canada’s Armed Forces to the rescue efforts; and,
finally, with the support of the rest of Canada extended to Manitoba in
its time of need.