Despite three days of precipitation in the Winnipeg area and much of the Red River Valley, Manitoba is not raising the level of its flood prediction.

Manitoba Water Stewardship spokesman Steve Topping told CBC News Wednesday that a level on par with that of the 1979 flood is still being forecast.

'Runoff is occurring quickly there and will contribute to Manitoba's flooding, but we're only seeing 1979 flood levels because our snow pack is lower.'—Steve Topping

South of the border, in Fargo, N.D., however, officials are predicting river levels will be as high as 12.3 metres — above the devastating 1997 crest of 12 metres — and a record level in the area.

That crest is forecast to occur Sunday. The crest is anticipated to arrive in Winnipeg between April 12 and 17.

Topping said there are a number of reasons why the predicted levels for Winnipeg are lower. For one thing, the Red River in North Dakota has less capacity and the Fargo region had much more snow this winter, he said.

"Runoff is occurring quickly there and will contribute to Manitoba's flooding, but we're only seeing 1979 flood levels because our snow pack is lower, Topping said. "And the river channel has much greater capacity [to hold the water] here in Manitoba."

There is only a 10 per cent chance the flooding will reach the levels of 1997, the so-called Flood of the Century.

The amount of snow being dumped on the city Wednesday is nowhere near what was seen in the blizzard before the flood of 1997, said Topping. That flood caused $4.4 billion in damage along the Red River valley between Winnipeg and Grand Forks, and forced about 80,000 people from their homes.

Up to 15 centimetres of snow

The Winnipeg area could see up to 15 centimetres of snow by late Wednesday, according to CBC meteorologist John Sauder, who said a higher accumulation will likely be seen in southwestern Manitoba. The snow and wind should taper off on Thursday.

Topping expects the floodway — a 48-kilometre long channel from St. Norbert and Lockport, which redirects water from the river around the east side of Winnipeg — to be operating within the next few days.

The gates can't be raised until the ice has cleared south of the city, he said.