Water is creeping across fields and rushing through the waterways and ditches of Western Canada. And it’s going places where farmers don’t want it.
Flooding is expected to peak in northeastern Saskatchewan before May 12.
Heavy rains, up to 50 millimetres, between Watrous and Regina on May 6 added to a surplus of soil moisture northeast of Last Mountain Lake in the central part of the province.
Localized snow melt water that was separating farms from roads and roads from highways east and north of Saskatoon have receded in many communities, but collection basins such as Waldsea and Fishing Lakes near Humboldt and Foam Lake, Sask., the problems continue to get worse as water levels rise, consuming cabins and pastures.
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Corrine Nimegeers, who administers the Rural Municipality of Humboldt, said the water has stopped rising in her RM, but the damage to more than 60 cut roads remains.
“We’re patching what we can and have pulled the 10,000 pound weight bans off the RM so farmers can go seeding, but there are some detours on the way to the fields,” she said.
Bart Oegema of the Saskatchewan Watershed Authority said lakes such as Waldsea and Fishing have stopped rising but the high levels can still cause damage due to heavy waves.
Salt from Dead Moose and Houghton Lakes is contaminating dugouts and pastures between Humboldt and Wakaw.
Along the Alberta foothills, heavy rain last week compounded a late lake ice melt with high water levels to cause flooding at Buck Lake, Alta.
The ranching and hay producing area south of Drayton Valley has seen higher than average stream flows and pooling of water in normally dry areas.
Mahrie Glab said the hamlet of Buck Lake had its floodwater peak May 6.
“There is a jackfish stranded in a low spot on our lawn. The neighbours are kayaking around their house,” she said.
British Columbia’s Fraser Valley may be facing flood stage water on low-lying farmland. Mountain snowpack is 45 percent heavier than the 30-year normal and is creating a risk of flooding along the Fraser River.
Allan Christian farms in the Glen Valley area. His farmyard borders the river and his fields lie in the floodplain. He said provincial officials came to his farm May 7 to provide an emergency preparations kit.
“We were under a flood watch three years ago but the snowmelt was gradual and nothing happened. We hope this year is the same,” he said.
