Sask. RM of Lajord declares state of emergency in response to severe flooding
The rural municipality of Lajord has lost about 30,000 acres of land to flooding, a local official estimates, prompting the community to enter a state of emergency.
"That's a huge financial blow to a lot of people … with the price of inputs the way they are today," said Armond Gervais, reeve of Lajord, which is just southeast of Regina.
Gervais said he hasn't it this severe in the area since about a decade ago when Saskatchewan was hit by an unprecedented level of flooding.
"We have roads flooded out and land, property, [crops], flooded out," Gervais said.
He said it rained on June 20 and the flooding took over a few days later.
Lajord city councillors declared a state of emergency on Wednesday due to the impact the flooding would have on farmers from Riceton, Sask., to Kronau, Sask.
This year it's a terrible year to experience this with the high input costs and those 10,000 acres [flooded]. - Todd Lewis, farmer near RM of Lajord
Gervais said he's unsure how long the state of emergency will be in place.
He said the RM has applied for the provincial disaster assistance program, but is unsure if it will qualify.
Todd Lewis is a councillor with the RM as well as one of an estimated 40 to 50 farmers whose crops have been flooded.
"We've probably seen close [to] 10,000 acres in a very small area here that's been flooded out," he said. About 400 to 500 acres of his own land was affected.
Lewis said farmers will have to wait until after the water departs to see how badly their lands have been impacted.
"This year it's a terrible year to experience this with the high input costs and those 10,000 acres, there's probably more money invested in them [in] just two weeks prior than ever before in the history of farming that land," he said.
Water Security Agency communications manager Sean Osmar said some parts of the province have received a lot of rain in a short period of time.
"The Wascana Creek basin saw upwards of 90 mm of rain during a recent severe thunderstorm event. This is the same storm that also brought more than 100mm of rain to Weyburn which caused some flash floods in that city," Osmar said in a statement.
"The fact that Wascana Creek is very flat, with limited geometry in some sections, is the main reason this area can see occasional flooding."
Gervais said there's not much farmers in the area can do now beyond waiting until the flooding tapers off and the community can assess the damage.
He said he's hoping to have better communication between the relevant parties to prevent another similar flooding in the future.
"We just need better co-operation between the Wascana [Conservation and Development] and water authority and City of Regina so we can get the weirs opened up on time under Albert Street Bridge to get the water flowing," Gervais said.
