Provincial officials toured parts of southern Manitoba to address concerns from communities that could be affected by Red River flood waters.

The province says the flood forecast looks more positive than first expected but water levels are still projected to reach ones similar to 2006, meaning some communities in the south could be impacted.

On Monday, officials visited St. Adolphe, Morris, Letellier and Emerson.

Provincial officials don't expect people will have to leave their communities because of flood waters, but sandbags and other measures may be needed.

In St. Adolphe, one of the concerns from some local residents and officials is access to the town because of the closure last year of the St. Adolphe bridge and the likelihood that another access route, St. Mary's Road, could be submerged during flooding.

An option now being considered is to put a temporary bridge into effect.

"It would be something like a ramp—probably something like what the army uses to move tanks across creeks and gullies," says Robert Stefaniuk, mayor for the RM of Ritchot.

While access options are still being weighed, the community is also preparing in other ways. An emergency command centre is being set up, residents of the St. Adolphe personal care home have been on an evacuation notice for three weeks and 120,000 sandbags are ready to go.

The town of Morris is also preparing for flood waters. Mayor Dale Hoffman says the ring dike north of the town will likely be sealed again, but he says the situation could be worse.

"The flood that we're talking about this year (is) more a pain in the neck than a hazard," says Hoffman.

Local officials in both St. Adolphe and Morris say they're confident their flood protection will be good this year.

The Red River's crest is expected to reach Emerson on Apr. 1 or Apr. 2, which is two weeks earlier than usual.

While flood forecasters are cautiously optimistic Manitoba won't be hit hard this spring, they say it all depends on weather over the next 10 days. People need to be ready for anything, in case the province sees heavy rain or snowfall, which could impact flooding, say officials.

- with a report from CTV's Rachel Lagacé