A Saskatchewan community is bringing in heavy hitters to deal with anticipated flood problems this spring.
City officials in Yorkton have teamed up with the Netherlands to host a Prairie Flood Management and Mitigation Seminar.
The seminar, which will start Wednesday, will feature speakers from Saskatchewan, Manitoba and the Netherlands, who offer information on the best ways to deal with water-related topics such as large scale flooding, drainage, storm water and wetland management, water management technologies and governance.
The Netherlands has a long history of dealing with floods and water management.
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The country’s disastrous 1953 flood resulted in more than 425,000 acres flooded and a cost of hundreds of millions of dollars.
Following the flood, the Dutch government formed the Delta Works, a series of construction projects considered to be one of the seven wonders of the modern world.
Today, roughly 10 million Dutch people, out of a total population of 16.7 million, live behind dikes to protect against flooding.
Representatives from two Dutch companies involved in water management will attend the Yorkton seminar.
Communities throughout Saskatchewan and Manitoba are bracing for heavy runoff this spring and the potential for significant flooding in some areas.
Snow pack is above normal throughout much of Western Canada, and moisture tables were already high going into the winter.
A news release from the City of Yorkton said it could be another challenging year for the Prairies.
High moisture tables, near-record snowfall and cooler than normal temperatures will make for uncertain spring water level conditions.
“This seminar will provide about 100 registrants the opportunity to network and examine water management issues from both the Dutch experience and the experiences on the prairies,” said Judie Dyck, honorary consul for the Netherlands in Saskatchewan.
“Dutch companies are working globally in water management and they have tremendous experience and knowledge, which I believe can be applicable for the prairies including the City of Yorkton.”
Added Yorkton mayor Bob Maloney: “The Dutch have a long history of experience in flood management and mitigation, and were part of the wave of agricultural immigrants to Canada in the last century.… We are very pleased to partner with the Kingdom of the Netherlands on this seminar and look forward to learning from their experiences, sharing ours, and to continuing co-operation in the future.”
