MEDIA RELEASE

For Release: April 17 ^th , 2000

International Joint Commission Releases Report on Red River Flooding

 

The International Joint Commission (IJC) today released the final report of its International Red River Basin Task Force The Next Flood: Getting Prepared , which examines issues related to the flood of 1997 and actions required to be better prepared for floods of a similar magnitude in the future. The report makes recommendations on flood management, communities at risk, preparedness and resiliency, data and decision support needs, and institutional mechanisms for better flood management.

The Task Force report provides advice to the IJC for its consideration in responding to the 1997 request from the governments of Canada and the United States that the IJC investigate means to reduce, mitigate and prevent harm from future flooding in the Red River Basin. The report presents results of studies and investigations outlined in the Task Force's December 1997 Interim Report on Red River Flooding.

The IJC will be convening public hearings at the times and locations listed below. These hearings will allow interested groups and individuals to provide the IJC with comments on the report and the recommendations of the Task Force prior to the IJC preparing its final report to the governments on the 1997 reference. All interested persons are invited to attend.

7:00 p.m., Monday, May 15, 2000
Fort Gary Hotel
222 Broadway Street
Winnipeg, Manitoba R3C 0R3
For directions, call (204) 942-8251

7:00 p.m., Tuesday, May 16, 2000
Emerson Community Hall
101 Church Street
Emerson, Manitoba R0A 0L0
For directions, call (204) 373-2167

7:00 p.m., Wednesday, May 17, 2000
Fargo Civic Memorial Auditorium, Lower Level
207 North Fourth Street
Fargo, North Dakota 58102
For directions, call (701) 241-1480

Written comments on the Task Force Report are also encouraged. Please send comment for receipt by May 26, 2000 to either of the following addresses:

Secretary, Canadian Section 234 Laurier Avenue West 22 nd Floor Ottawa, Ontario K1P 6K6 Fax 613.993.5583 Commission@ottawa.ijc.org

Secretary, United States Section 1250 23 rd Street NW Suite 100 Washington, DC 20440 Fax 202.736.9015 Commission@washington.ijc.org

The IJC is a binational Canada-United States organization established by the Boundary Waters Treaty of 1909. It assists the governments in managing waters along the border for the benefit of both in a variety of ways including examining issues referred to it by the two federal governments.

More information, including the full text of the Task Force's report, may be found on the Commission's web site at www.ijc.org, or from the Commission's offices.

Contacts:
Lise Bourget	Washington, D.C.	(202) 736-9021
Fabien Lengellé	Ottawa, Ontario	(613) 995-0088