City of Winkler watching dike after brief flood scare

The City of Winkleris keeping a close eye on a dike along the southern edge of thecommunity after a drainage-culvert failure briefly forced floodwaters to rise.

Shortly after 10 p.m., the city warned residents to stay away from the south dike that protects Winkler from adrainage channel that runsparallel to Road 11 N.

On the west side of Highway 32, a drainage culvert buckled under pressure andwaspointing up into the air instead of draining water east of the highway, Mayor Martin Harder said Monday night.

That led water to backup west of the highway and initially prompted fears the city may have to evacuate some homes.

By11:30 p.m., the culvert had been partly repaired, allowing water to resume flowing east, Harder said.

The mayor said there is no need to declare a state of emergency, but officials will keep an eye on the dike overnight.

The city advised Winkler residents to avoid gawking at the dike at either Highway 32 or 14 Street S.