While the flood situation has, for the most part, stabilized in the Municipality of Rhineland, the Pembina River remains a threat in the southeast corner of the municipality.

"It looks like it's increasing because the Red (River) is cresting and that tends to push water into that corner," explained Reeve Don Wiebe.

As a result, the Municipality has declared a State of Local Emergency. The order would allow the Municipality's Emergency Operations Centre to issue evacuation notices if required. It will expire on June 3, 2022.

"We feel that the homes there are well protected since previous floods, but access to homes may be restricted. There are some properties there that may become isolated and so we're going to need to take care of that, and we feel the quickest way to do that is to make sure the resources are in place by declaring a State of Local Emergency as so many other municipalities have done," added Wiebe. According to the Reeve, there around four homes that could be cut off from road access.

As of Tuesday, the level of the Pembina River at Neche, North Dakota was 21.66 feet, nearly four feet above channel capacity.

Meantime, crews have begun to mop up after the high water event in the rest of the Municipality. 

"This wasn't really in the plans," added Wiebe, noting the Municipality will be looking into a Disaster Financial Assistance program from the Province.

Work has started to restore some of the rural roads that became soft and damaged. Officials have also begun to assess the number of road washouts that happened as a result of the overland flooding. "We think it will be quite a significant number," said Wiebe. As well, various low level crossings need to be repaired.

"This wasn't really in the plans," added Wiebe, noting the Municipality will be looking into a Disaster Financial Assistance program from the Province.

"We're going to do our homework on that. We'll be taking pictures of the site and documenting each site, preparing a list of those things that need to be done, and we will certainly make the case."

Wiebe noted, the Municipality may also make the case for a DFA program for individuals that also got caught in the flood.

"We'll see what kind of program the Province has, but we'll certainly be advocating for one,"

Wiebe added, there was quite a few lessons learned from the recent flooding, and municipal officials will sit down to review and reflect on what happened and the related responses at a later date.