The Rural Municipality of Montcalm isn't wasting any time in preparing for flooding along the Red River this spring.

Reeve Paul Gilmore said they have already initiated preparations for expected flooding along the Red.

"We're reviewing our emergency plans, preparing our resources, establishing various roles and responsibilitied, and we've already established that we're going to meet on a regular basis as part of that preparation, starting next week. We're preparing for the worst, but hoping for the best."

Flood forecasters say with normal conditions this spring, there is a good chance flooding along the Red River will hit 2011 levels.

Gilmore is confident their flood structures will hold up well under flood conditions, including the ring dikes protecting St. Jean and Letellier.

"Residents in those two communities will be OK. There were no evacuations back in 2011, so they should be all right. Most residents here have been dealing with floods for years and they're used to it. They don't necessarily like it, but it's part of living in this area."

Local municipal officials in the Red River Valley will be watching the sky closely over the next week. Two Colorado lows are expected to cross through southern Manitoba this weekend and mid next week and could dump a fair amount of precipitation.

The province's flood outlook indicated that unfavourable weather conditions, including late-season snow, spring rains and a more rapid snowmelt, would create flood levels comparable to the 2009 flood.

"Either way, we'll be ready," said Gilmore.