Emerson-Franklin Dealing With Excess Water Issues

Emerson-Franklin Municipality is dealing with some issues leftover from last weekend's rainstorm.

While most of the storm damage is centred in the rural municipalities of Stuartburn and Piney, Reeve Dave Carlson says the eastern part of Emerson-Franklin got some of that heavy rain as well.

"We didn't get the kind of rain that Piney and Stuartburn got, however, getting 8 inches in the Tolstoi area wasn't good and so there was some overland flooding and some crop losses and things like that."

Municipal officials are keeping a close watch on the Rat River which spilled its banks following the heavy rains. One property near that river in Emerson-Franklin had to be sandbagged, according to Carlson.

"Another property is close to being sandbagged but we think it's going to be OK because the water is not rising anymore."

Some of the backroads in the eastern part of the municipality are closed and there are some problems along River Road in the Emerson area where a culvert failed. Carlson said they are also closely watching the Roseau River which is also high. He says the river remains within its banks on the eastern side of Emerson-Franklin but has spilled over onto some of the flatter parts of the municipality.

"Other than that we're doing alright so far, but again we're keeping an eye on what water is coming from where. It's kind of unprecedented to see that much water coming from the east and things could change, but right now we're managing OK."