Your grandparents probably remember this.
Morning from the Central Plains — here's what's moving through Portage today.
You know, sometimes you read a story and it just sticks with you, makes you think about how things used to be around here. This one about the 1826 Red River flood, what they're calling a "once-in-a-millennium" event, really got me. We talk about the Diversion now like it’s always been there, a necessary piece of engineering to protect us from the Assiniboine. But imagine what Portage was like two hundred years ago, before any of that, when a flood could just wipe out everything. The article talks about the "wreck of a whole colony" downriver, but you know that kind of water doesn't stop at the Perimeter. That would have changed the landscape right up to our doorstep, shifting the riverbeds and shaping the land we farm today.
This isn't just history; it's the foundation we're standing on. We’re between two major waterways, the Assiniboine and Lake Manitoba, and the stories of their power are etched into the land. It makes you appreciate the scale of the earthworks that protect us now, like the Portage Diversion, which keeps the city and the surrounding agricultural lands safe. Without that, a modern flood of that magnitude would bring the entire Trans-Canada corridor to a halt, impacting everything from the potato processing plants on the west side of town to the rail yards.
### What This Means for Portage la Prairie
* **Understanding Our Resilience:** It highlights how much our community has adapted over centuries to live with the power of nature. * **Infrastructure's Importance:** It underscores why investments in flood protection, like the Diversion, are not just good ideas, but critical to our survival and economy. * **Echoes in the Land:** Next time you're driving past the Delta Marsh, or near the Fort la Reine Museum, think about the immense forces that shaped this very ground.
This isn't just about a flood happening somewhere else. It’s about understanding the very ground beneath our feet here in Portage, and appreciating the infrastructure that keeps our city, our farms, and our corridor economy moving. It reminds you that we’re always balancing progress with the realities of the land.
Darren Flett, MiTL Sports Desk, Portage la Prairie.
The crew on the morning show digs into stories like this every day – catch 'em live at mornings.live.