Updated: The RM has provided video that was taken on August 22, 2019.

Delta Beach home and cottage owners were hit quite hard by the floods of 2011 and 2014. The RM of Portage la Prairie obtained Geotubes to help keep back high water levels on Lake Manitoba.

In 2016 the RM made a move to see geotextile tubes remain in place after the province suggested they be removed due to fears of the residents about future after levels rising again. (https://portageonline.com/local/delta-geotubes-05112016)

Councillor Roy Tufford says the issue of geotextile tubes was raised again at their council meeting.

"We've had requests from residents and cottagers out in Delta to remove geotextile tubes in front of their property because of the effect the geotextile tubes have in building stuff up behind, and the vegetation, etc.," explains Tufford. "So, there are a lot of reasons. They're unsightly."

He notes they had to decide to remove small sections of the system in front of some cottages on request of owners, or basically remove all geotextile tubes east of the campground. Council made the decision Tuesday to remove all of them, providing Disaster Financial assistance covers the cost.

"That doesn't include the west west beach, which is that part of the beach that's west of our campground," adds Tufford. "But everything east of there, geotextile tubes would come out. There may be some people concerned about the chances of the lake getting up again. Part of our resolution was to strongly lobby to have geotextile tubes put back in place if we got into a 2011 or 2014 situation again with high lake levels, and lots of flows in the river. We would advocate that they be put back."

Under Disaster Financial Assistance, it's all temporary measures that are done, he continues. He says they had to lobby the province to allow the RM to leave them there this long. Tufford notes, for the length of time that's taken to get that channel at the north end of the lake done, the geotextile tubes have been rendered useless just due to age, and they're being vandalized with the ultraviolet protection starting to deteriorate. Tufford says they've simply outlived their usefulness and it's time for them to go. He adds they have to confirm DFA's commitment in writing to fund the project, noting this won't be coming from the ratepayers.

2016 Video of drone footage of Delta Beach's geotextile tubes, courtesy of Lakefront restorers:

Video of removal of segments of geotextile tubes in 2016:

Photos courtesy of RM of Portage la Prairie. It should be noted these will be the geotextile tubes that remain.