Landowners affected by flooding downstream of the Gardiner Dam want to see the Saskatchewan Watershed Authority emphasize flood protection in future.
Lynn and Bill Lemisko, who accessed their Moon Lake market gardens in hip-waders and by boat last spring, are seeking compensation for drowned crops. They argue SWA did not follow its own policies, procedures and guidelines in balancing water supply and flood protection interests.
They say keeping the reservoir higher than normal and not discharging that water led to a release of water that breached riverbanks.
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federal government proposed several months ago to increase the compensation rate from 80 to 90 per cent and double the maximum payment from $3 million to $6 million
“We would like to be compensated but would like to be assured they are not going to operate the reservoir without keeping flood protection in mind,” said Lynn, who lost 500 raspberry plants.
The couple did not have insurance.
Looking ahead to transplanting vegetables from their greenhouse in the weeks ahead, Lynn said last year’s events weigh heavily on their minds.
“The whole enthusiasm is just not there,” she said. “It’s really, really hard. You can’t not plant.”
They plan to continue their letter writing campaign and have forwarded their concerns to the provincial ombudsman’s office.
During a March 28 meeting with 40 landowners in Saskatoon, the SWA provided information on flood protection, the 2005 flood and the operations of the dam.
Authority personnel agreed to create reference points to mark the heights that dikes should be in order to be effective at certain flood levels. They also agreed to improve communications by considering 1-800 information lines and e-mailed bulletins.
Don Dill, SWA regional office manager in North Battleford, noted the water from Lake Diefenbaker and the Gardiner Dam is used for recreation, hydro-electricity, municipal water supplies and flood protection.
“We’re trying to balance it all out,” he said. “We’re trying to look at it from the public interest and from both sides.”
Dill said SWA is not predicting major flooding this spring, but the forecast could change if there are unforeseen heavy rainfalls, similar to those occurring last spring.
