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The 1950 Red River flood was a devastating flood that took place along the Red River in The Dakotas and Manitoba from April 15 to June 12, 1950. Damage was particularly severe in the city of Winnipeg and its environs, which were inundated on May 5, also known as Black Friday to some residents.
An estimated 70,000–100,000 residents had to be evacuated, and four of eleven bridges were destroyed. In that year, the Red River reached its highest level since 1861 and flooded most of the
Although seasonal flooding was common, this flood surpassed the others. The north-flowing Red River was fed by flows resulting from melting of heavy snows in the winter and runoff from heavy rains in the spring. Eight
Manitoba Photos, 2005-2013; accessed 12 October 2016 The city turned to the Canadian Army and the Red Cross for help. Four of eleven bridges in the city were destroyed and approximately 100,000 people had to be evacuated from their homes and businesses. This was the largest evacuation in Canadian history until the
SOS! Canadian Disasters
a virtual museum exhibition at Library and Archives Canada.
Red River of the North History of Winnipeg Floods in Canada Red River Red River Red River Natural disasters in Manitoba Red_River_flood, 1950 Red_River_flood, 1950 Red_River_flood, 1950 Floods in the United States Red River floods
Red River Valley
The Red River Valley is a region in central North America that is drained by the Red River of the North; it is part of both Canada and the United States. Forming the border between Minnesota and North Dakota when these territories were admitted ...
, more than . One man died, and property losses due to the flood were estimated at more than $600 million to one billion.
To prevent and reduce future damage, the government constructed the Red River Floodway, which was completed in 1968. It has been estimated to have prevented more than $100 billion (CAD) in cumulative flood damage.
Winnipeg
Although seasonal flooding was common, this flood surpassed the others. The north-flowing Red River was fed by flows resulting from melting of heavy snows in the winter and runoff from heavy rains in the spring. Eight dikes
Dyke (UK) or dike (US) may refer to:
General uses
* Dyke (slang), a slang word meaning "lesbian"
* Dike (geology), a subvertical sheet-like intrusion of magma or sediment
* Dike (mythology), ''Dikē'', the Greek goddess of moral justice
* Dikes, ...
gave way and flooded much of Winnipeg, turning an estimated of farmland in the area into an enormous lake. A total of more than in the Red River Valley were flooded, from Emerson to north to Greater Winnipeg. The depth of the flood waters on the farmland was between ."Manitoba Flood/May, 1950"Manitoba Photos, 2005-2013; accessed 12 October 2016 The city turned to the Canadian Army and the Red Cross for help. Four of eleven bridges in the city were destroyed and approximately 100,000 people had to be evacuated from their homes and businesses. This was the largest evacuation in Canadian history until the
1979 Mississauga train derailment
The Mississauga train derailment occurred on November 10, 1979, in Mississauga, Ontario, Canada, when a CP Rail freight train carrying hazardous chemicals derailed and caught fire. More than 200,000 people were evacuated in the largest peacetime ...
. In Winnipeg there was one fatality; property damage was severe, with losses estimated at between $600 million and more than a billion dollars. The flood postponed opening day for baseball in the Mandak League
The Manitoba-Dakota League was an independent baseball league based in Manitoba and North Dakota that was founded in 1950. It became the home for many African-American and Latino players. The league lasted through the 1957 season. It was known inf ...
due to inundation of Osborne Stadium. The league and president Jimmy Dunn arranged benefit games to raise money for Winnipeg's Flood Fund.
As a result of the damage, the government built the Red River Floodway, to divert flood waters from Winnipeg to more distant portions of the river. The project was completed in 1968 and has been used 20 times. From 1950 to about 1997, it was derogatorily referred to as "Duff's Ditch", after the premier ( Dufferin Roblin) that built the floodway. It is estimated to have prevented more than $100 billion (CAD) in cumulative flood damage. The Floodway was designated a National Historic Site of Canada in 2000, and is considered an outstanding engineering achievement both in terms of function and effects.
United States
Flooding in the Red River Valley of the United States resulted in five deaths.{{Cite web, title=Red River of the North Flooding - 1950 , publisher= USGS , date=2008-03-14 , url=http://nd.water.usgs.gov/photos/1950RedFlood/index.html , accessdate=1 April 2009 , archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20090331093143/http://nd.water.usgs.gov/photos/1950RedFlood/index.html , archivedate=31 March 2009 , url-status=liveSee also
* Red River of the North *1997 Red River flood
The Red River flood of 1997 was a major flood that occurred in April and May 1997 along the Red River of the North in Minnesota, North Dakota, and southern Manitoba. It was the most severe flood of the river since 1826. The flood reached through ...
* Red River Floodway
References
External links
SOS! Canadian Disasters
a virtual museum exhibition at Library and Archives Canada.
Red River of the North History of Winnipeg Floods in Canada Red River Red River Red River Natural disasters in Manitoba Red_River_flood, 1950 Red_River_flood, 1950 Red_River_flood, 1950 Floods in the United States Red River floods