Once again, we had a snowy winter, and that never bodes well for the lake between Boissevain and Deloraine or the agricultural property in its area. Since the flood of 2011, and subsequent ones, farmland in both Boissevain-Morton and Deloraine-Winchester has laid under its expanding waters. The fear was that another bad year would place even more in jeopardy.
According to Boissevain-Morton Councillor Doug Robertson, who also serves on the Whitewater Lake committee shared with our western neighbours, so far things have not reached a crisis point.
“Well, it isn’t as bad as anyone expected,” Robertson said, “because of the slow melt and not getting any precipitation.”
He added the water is about ¾ of a mile from his farmyard at present, and many of the people who are farming in that lake area are not getting a deluge all at once. However, before anyone jumps for joy, there are a few facts to consider.
For one, water is still coming into the lake. Robertson said there is still ice in the reeds of the lake and still some snow around. Although disappearing pretty well in most areas, there are still some snow banks that are ten feet high. Creeks are still running as well.
“They’re still trickling in and that will continue as well. It will still come up.”
This is particularly true from the Turtle Mountains, where there is traditionally more snow and it does melt a little later. So we have not seen the last of the natural run off.
Interestingly, those who live in the area actually saw water come back into the lake from one of its outlets. There was so much localized flooding in the Elgin Creek area that the water started flowing the wrong way. Robertson said the system was overloaded, and he figures it is likely running properly now.
As well, as Robertson said, we have not had significant precipitation. A small rain is predicted for the Easter weekend, but longer-term forecasts are pointing to more wet stuff from the sky in a couple of weeks. This could be a serious problem.
“A half-inch, three-quarter inch rain would clean things up and make them smell nice,” he explained, “but if we get 3-4 inches of rain in the Mountain, we’re all in trouble. Deloraine is coping okay, but if there is a big rain, they will be flooded. Boissevain would not get flooded, but around the lake it would be trouble.”
As well, we have to keep in mind that Whitewater is not a benign situation now. Robertson said at the moment he feels the lake is as high as the 2011 flood – its peak during flooding has reached 1634 feet about sea level – and plenty of farmers in both impacted municipalities have lost farmland for many years. So even the status quo is not good enough.
The committee has come up with an idea of relieving pressure on the lake and thereby on those around it. They would like to build a system in which they could have a gated culvert at the Medora Creek. They could let water go at non-peak times and then send it into the Souris River, keeping the lake at its natural level of 1628 feet. This concept has been on the go in different forms for many years with some support and some opposition. The group has had difficulty moving it through government channels and the hope was with the change from NDP to Conservative last year they might appeal to a new audience.
This has not worked as well as hoped. Recently, Manitoba Premier Brian Pallister visited Boissevain and spoke to those involved in the Whitewater Lake fight. Although he professed sympathy, there was no practical support promised. In fact, it was almost the opposite.
“He basically told us he had no money,” Robertson said. “We felt if we could get the government to cut the red tape it would help. Pallister ran on cutting red tape. But he said that cost money and he said basically ‘I’d like to help you but there is no money.’ So we didn’t get any new information, any assurances or promises of help. He told us to be prepared for a flood.”
This week is the AMM spring meeting in Winnipeg. Municipal councilors will be in the city and will be talking with some government officials and ministers. Robertson said they are planning to chat with some relevant people.
“We need to keep this in people’s minds, to spark some conversations.”
However, he feels they are not likely to start work on any solution for the foreseeable future, which is both disappointing and possibly disastrous. If Mother Nature helps a little, perhaps a bad situation will not get worse in the meantime.
“We don’t need rain for a while.”
by PAUL RAYNER, Recorder staff