Manitoba News Release - July 26, 2011 The Manitoba government will start construction on an emergency channel out of Lake St. Martin immediately, and Lake Manitoba outflows through the Fairford River water control structure will be unrestricted throughout the winter, as recommended by independent engineering firms KGS and AECOM. 50% more snow than normal last winter was a sinister precursor of unprecedented flooding in this province in 2011. PLT. If construction can be completed by this fall, levels on both lakes would be lowered before spring run-off begins, reducing the likelihood of flooding in 2012. Several different options were examined by KGS and AECOM with technical support from Manitoba Infrastructure and Transportation and Manitoba Water Stewardship. The option to quickly build an emergency channel that will allow for ongoing maximum flows through the Fairford River water control structure was assessed as the best option to provide emergency re