Manitoba issues flood warning for The Pas

The Manitoba government has issued a flood warning for the Saskatchewan River near The Pas, amid concerns that flood waters from Alberta are flowing east.

The province's Hydrologic Forecast Centre predicts river levels near The Pas will approach levels similar to those from 2011, with the crest potentially arriving there in about 10 to 14 days.

In a news release issued late Friday, government officials said they are working closely with leaders in The Pas and the Opaskwayak Cree Nation to monitor the situation.

Upwards of 20 centimetres of rain fell in the South Saskatchewan River Basin in southern Alberta in the last three days, according to the province, which adds that more rain is being forecast for the same area.

The South Saskatchewan River is collecting flood waters from tributaries in southern Alberta and moving east through Alberta and Saskatchewan.

The waters will move into Manitoba through the Saskatchewan River and the Cumberland Marsh, passing through The Pas and eventually flowing into Lake Winnipeg.

The Saskatchewan Water Security Agency is releasing water from the Lake Diefenbaker and Tobin reservoirs in order to make room for the Alberta flood waters, according to the Manitoba government.