A look back at Winnipeg’s flood of 1950, 75 years later

As emergency crews fight wildfires across the province this year, three-quarters of a century ago, Winnipeg and Manitoba were dealing with a much different natural disaster.

As emergency crews fight wildfires across the province this year, three-quarters of a century ago, Winnipeg and Manitoba were dealing with a much different natural disaster.

It was 75 years ago this spring that Winnipeg was in crisis mode, surrounded and submerged by floodwaters.

The flood of 1950 marked one of the most devastating natural disasters within city limits, triggered by the melting of heavy spring snow and then heavy rainfall. The Red River peaked at 9.2 metres at James Avenue in Winnipeg in May 1950. It was the worst flood in the Red River Valley since 1861.

“That particular April there was two times as much snow as we normally had, and it was also warm,” said Greg Agnew, the president of Heritage Winnipeg.

“It hit St. Norbert and Fort Garry first, so the University of Manitoba ended up being under water.”

Floodwaters reached up to the second storey of homes, the rush hour commute through city streets saw boats and canoes replace vehicles, and downtown Winnipeg landmarks, power stations, schools and hospitals were surrounded by rising water levels, dikes and causeways.

“It’s kind of surreal to think of people just paddling around,” Agnew said.

Those moments are carefully documented at the City of Winnipeg Archives through newspaper clippings, minutes of emergency council and committee meetings, and countless photos, many of which have been recently digitized.