International Joint Commission

WMC engineers developed a major flood forecasting model for the Red River on behalf of the International Joint Commission. The hydrodynamic model extends from Grand Forks, North Dakota to Selkirk, Manitoba, a distance of 280 km. The model was transferred to Manitoba Natural Resources who are using it in a real-time flood forecasting mode, with assistance from WMC. WMC was retained by the International Joint Commission to prepare flood inundation maps of the Red River for evaluation of agricultural damages. This required extending the MIKE 11 1997 and 1826 simulation runs and using MIKE 11 GIS to prepare ArcView shape files of flooded area every 12 hours over a three-month period.

International Joint Commission

The Pembina River is an international river that periodically overflows the border between the United States and Canada. To assist resolution of the flooding issues, WMC was retained to develop a comprehensive hydrodynamic model of the river and analyze various flood control scenarios. The work included field investigations, flood frequency analysis, development and calibration of a hydrodynamic model using MIKE 11 and simulation of various flood control scenarios including setback dykes and construction of a floodway. The modeling approach was presented at a public meeting in the Pembina River Basin.

US Army Corps of Engineers

The Topographic Engineering Center of the US Army Corps of Engineers has developed a Digital Elevation Model (DEM) of the Lower Pembina River. WMC was retained by the Corps to integrate the DEM with WMC’s Pembina River MIKE 11 model. The work included handling very large data sets (over 1 Gb), which required writing specialized computer programs to extract data segments. The DEM was used to confirm cross-section elevations in the floodplain and to generate flooded area maps using MIKE 11 GIS.

Manitoba Natural Resources

WMC completed a cumulative dyke impact assessment for Manitoba Natural Resources. The work included evaluation of 14 community ring dykes in the Red River floodplain and 2600 individual flood-proofing projects. The purpose of the evaluation was to determine whether the proposed projects would collectively have an unacceptable impact on water levels. The impact of the St Mary’s Road Dyke was investigated with and without the other projects, as it is located immediately opposite the Red River Floodway Inlet. A MIKE 11 model of the Assiniboine and Red Rivers was used to model the floodplain flow processes, with and without the proposed dykes.

Cross Developments

The Nooksack River flows from Mt Baker in Washington State to Bellingham, north of Seattle. WMC carried out a hydrodynamic modeling study of Nooksack River overflows into Sumas Prairie to assess the impact on water levels of a proposed development. A MIKE 11 model was calibrated for the 1990 flood event and estimates were made of 100-year and 200-year overflows. The design floods were modeled with and without the proposed development and the impact on water levels assessed.

International Joint Commission

In recognition of WMC’s capabilities in handling very large Digital Elevation Models (DEM), the International Joint Commission retained WMC to evaluate a DEM developed for the Winnipeg area by a topographic engineering company. The scope of work included determining whether the DEM provided accurate detail for MIKE 11 modeling and preparing flooded area maps of the Assiniboine and Red River floods of 1997 and 1826 using MIKE 11 GIS and the new DEM.