The floods in Manitoba
The valley's water treatment installations continued to service the population with a quality water throughout the duration of the flood. The municipality of Sainte-Agathe was the only one where the system failed for a month due to the accidental entry of floodwaters in its reservoirs.
Fortunately, the environmental impacts of the 1997 flood were minimal considering the extent of the catastrophe. Many sources of pollution were protected before the event and the enormous volume of melt water helped in diluting the eventual contaminants.

During the 1997 flood, more than 550 contaminants containing dangerous substances like propane, heating oil, solvent and pesticides were carried away by the floodwaters of the Red River. Other substances coming from commercial establishments were, for the most part, retrieved with the help of pumps. Once filtered the water was returned to its natural environment.

Many flooded residences had mildew problems and some of these, although having sustained only partial damage, were declared uninhabitable even after their clean up.



In spite of all the damages caused by such a flood, there is good to this a it pertains to the Red River basin. Indeed, in adding a new layer of sediments on the farmland, the flooding river contributes in enriching the soil.