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Facts
- The Red River Floodway is 47km long
- The idea of the floodway goes back to after the 1950 flood, but didn't become reality until after the 1959 election in which Duff Roblin won a majority.
- It was estimated it would take 3 years of planning and 6 years of construction
- Federal government under John Diefenbaker put up $37 million, province $26.2 million
- First sod turned Oct. 6/1962, finished 6 years later, almost to the day
- 2 other control structures on Assiniboine, the Red's main tributary…one at Shellmouth, near Sask. Border, that moderates spring runoff and holds back much of that water from western Man. and eastern Sask. and releases it through the summer months…the second 62 miles west of Wpg., the Portage Diversion, a broad ditch from the Assiniboine to Lake Manitoba.
- It is considered a modern marvel of civil engineering and designed to protect Winnipeg from a flood 50 per cent greater than that of 1950.
- In 1997, Duff Roblin had the honour of turning the switch to open the floodway gates.
