Southern Manitoba farmers at risk of flooding are getting some help from the Canadian Wheat Board.

The marketing agency is freeing up space at grain elevators in the communities of Morris and Letellier, as well as the stand-alone Agassiz elevator located between Morden and Winkler, for farmers who need to move their grain to dry land.

Extra rail cars will be allocated to the three elevators and will start moving the grain later this month, said CWB spokesman John Lyons.

The Manitoba government's spring flood outlook, released Feb. 22, noted a significant potential of spring flooding in the Red River Valley.

Spring runoff will be above normal between Emerson to Morris in southern Manitoba, but closer to average from Morris to Winnipeg, the forecast suggested.

The flooding in the Morris area could be significant but will still be 0.3 to 0.9 metres (one to three feet) below the crest of last year's near-record level, the forecast said, adding that's still high enough to submerge fields and roads.

Grain storage bins for around 200 farmers could be at risk of flooding, Lyons said.

"For many farmers, their grain is protected but some grain is stored in unprotected bins and those are the kind of people we are trying to help here," he said.

The wheat board expects 180,000 tonnes of grain to be moved to higher ground.