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Southwestern Sask. dries off as floods recede

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Published: July 1, 2010

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The Saskatchewan government’s rainy day fund may live up to its name this year.Cleanup is now underway in the southwest where flooding washed out roads, spread debris far and wide and generally made life miserable.The cost of the damage from torrential rain June 18 has yet to be tallied, but the provincial government is already writing cheques.On June 25, public safety minister Yogi Huyghebaert delivered more than 150 cheques worth $3,000 each to Maple Creek residents who had property damage, saying the early payment under the Provincial Disaster Assistance Program was unprecedented.A day later a portion of the Trans-Canada Highway reopened to traffic between Maple Creek and Medicine Hat. It was closed June 19 after rain destroyed a section of the westbound lanes and part of the eastbound lanes.“In many cases our crews and contractors have been working full-out and around the clock to get this important highway reopened,” said highways minister Jim Reiter.Attention now turns to restoring full service to all four lanes, he said.And agriculture minister Bob Bjornerud mused that crop insurance claims could be three times what the government expected to pay, or about $300 million.He is not ruling out additional help from the province and federal government.Mieka Torgrimson, acting director of Saskatchewan Emergency Management Organization, said about 50 municipalities around the province applied for assistance under the PDAP.Both the town and rural municipality of Maple Creek have been designated eligible to receive help.“We have gotten some applications in already from the RM,” Torgrimson said June 28.The PDAP covers several things that wouldn’t be covered by other insurance. For example, stored grain or hay bales that are damaged, land eroded by the water, damaged corrals and emergency livestock transport are all eligible.More information can be found by calling 866-632-4033.Torgrimson said applications can also be made at the recovery service centre open in Maple Creek. Social services and victims’ services are also on hand to provide support.“The force of the water can do amazing things,” said Torgrimson, who has seen the damage first-hand.Barbi-Rose Weisgerber, administrator for the RM of Maple Creek, said she expects once haying begins that landowners will learn just how much damage the water did.She said RM residents were busy trying to seed crops, brand cattle and move cattle to pastures, and will deal with the disaster when they’re able.“I know of three families that have to relocate at this point,” she said, although she didn’t know if the homes were completely destroyed by the water.The Saskatchewan Watershed Authority has announced free testing of private drinking water wells in the Swift Current and Maple Creek areas to make sure they are not contaminated.The testing is available until July 16 and will focus on bacteriological threats and nitrates. The Cypress Health Region will test regulated wells.

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About the author

Karen Briere

Karen Briere

Karen Briere grew up in Canora, Sask. where her family had a grain and cattle operation. She has a degree in journalism from the University of Regina and has spent more than 30 years covering agriculture from the Western Producer’s Regina bureau.

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