Water Drainage/Sask Water Security Board

[jd3007]

Breadwinner I also farm with a full line of 1970s equipment along with some early 2000 stuff.There is no brand new iron here just a modest new home and some a handful of 1505 and 1805 bins. I didn't do it on Dads money it was all my own.I have got off my "temple" as you say and have talked to him. I told him that the water is flooding my yard and and all he keeps going back to is the fact that ditching is illegal and that the ditches need to be closed even though no water goes in to him. My point is it seems that Saskwater and the complainant seem to have way more rights than an individual trying to protect their yard. When small towns were flooding this last July emergency ditches were dyking were common place when there are town people involved. Yet it seems when the individual landowner does it you are at fault. Seems little a pretty shitty system to me.

[oneoff]

Dogdung...just as long as eveyone is cosistant of what they do and demand of absolutely everyone else.

But it just doesn't often work out that way. You see water diversions and pumping off the properties of the very people who would never take a public staance of support or others whoo have sometimes majoe even had less effects off theiir lands.

Such is the myopic viewing of the bigger pictures.

[jd3007]

Breadwinner I also farm with a full line of 1970s equipment along with some early 2000 stuff.There is no brand new iron here just a modest new home and some a handful of 1505 and 1805 bins. I didn't do it on Dads money it was all my own.I have got off my "temple" as you say and have talked to him. I told him that the water is flooding my yard and and all he keeps going back to is the fact that ditching is illegal and that the ditches need to be closed even though no water goes in to him. My point is it seems that Saskwater and the complainant seem to have way more rights than an individual trying to protect their yard. When small towns were flooding this last July emergency ditches were dyking were common place when there are town people involved. Yet it seems when the individual landowner does it you are at fault. Seems little a pretty shitty system to me.

[jd3007]

Breadwinner I also farm with a full line of 1970s equipment along with some early 2000 stuff.There is no brand new iron here just a modest new home and some a handful of 1505 and 1805 bins. I didn't do it on Dads money it was all my own.I have got off my "temple" as you say and have talked to him. I told him that the water is flooding my yard and and all he keeps going back to is the fact that ditching is illegal and that the ditches need to be closed even though no water goes in to him. My point is it seems that Saskwater and the complainant seem to have way more rights than an individual trying to protect their yard. When small towns were flooding this last July emergency ditches were dyking were common place when there are town people involved. Yet it seems when the individual landowner does it you are at fault. Seems little a pretty shitty system to me.

[jd3007]

Breadwinner I also farm with a full line of 1970s equipment along with some early 2000 stuff.There is no brand new iron here just a modest new home and some a handful of 1505 and 1805 bins. I didn't do it on Dads money it was all my own.I have got off my "temple" as you say and have talked to him. I told him that the water is flooding my yard and and all he keeps going back to is the fact that ditching is illegal and that the ditches need to be closed even though no water goes in to him. My point is it seems that Saskwater and the complainant seem to have way more rights than an individual trying to protect their yard. When small towns were flooding this last July emergency ditches were dyking were common place when there are town people involved. Yet it seems when the individual landowner does it you are at fault. Seems little a pretty shitty system to me.

[BreadWinner]

Here ya go getting your back up, your always right. That flood litigation has to be restored after the flood disaster is over. That's the rules!!! You told your neighbour, maybe you should of asked him first. I'm on the downside of a few water draining idiots myself. So I can sympathize with your neighbour. The drainage obsession seems to run deep in our area. The waters not my problem once it leaves in my ditch is the common theme. Our lakes are overflowing and every little ditch adds to the problem. But who cares now it their problem. EH!!!! It's about time farmers that are getting ditched onto get some rights. Got a neighbour that's getting his but sued off for ditching onto everyone around him. Justice will be given. Hope you give your head a shake.

[mbdog]

jd3007...Sorry to hear of your problems as you make try and make improvements, and it sounds like your in an all too common "neighbor" issue. The country was built on ag land improvements and most people enjoy a quality of life because of it....just saying.
I won't judge, like others on this thread have done, whether you or the other instigated or is at fault, but I do believe CLEAR provincial regulatory oversight with CLEARLY DEFINED rules/guidelines through a permitting process would go along ways towards solving the problem. Im not a big fan of the idea, the beurocracy, the public service or the politics in this portfolio....very frustrating...but in our area, drainage works and improved sc****r/laser technology has caused infrastructure to blow, overwhelming municipal and provincial budjets. But this is no reason to say "no drainage".
You as a producer should have every right to improve and get your water to the municipal/provincial property.

[jd3007]

Breadwinner I dug one ditch to protect my yard. I I have lots of potholed covered land that I would love to ditch but won't because I want to be a good neighbor . I could put all kind if ditches into this neighbor but I choose not to. If you are are flooded by someone you should have rights and should complain. If my water doesn't go in to you, then you then you shouldn't. Simple enough isn't it? Every situation is different. I have talked to my neighbors that I may have an effect on and we all have water problems and have had enough. Flooded yards, basements, corrals, driveways and roads. We drain naturally in to a lake 8 miles away and a little ditching, some culverts, elimination of some beaver dams and channel clearing would fix the problem. And I have talked to everyone downstream and they all agree. But certain people who although are not affected by the water can still complain and put a stop to the process because they may have an impact. It looks like you are one of those people.
I will be putting in ditch blocks to restore the area back to how it was. I will also move my bins on higher ground on other land I have. I will then put this half section up for sale and maybe sell it to someone who likes undrained pothole covered land. I will offer it to my neighbor first, but I can keep you in mind as you seem to like undrained natural land.

[bucket]

I have told my neighbors to drain all they like even if it comes on my land - just make sure their water exits my land as well and everyone furthur down or we have a problem.

Made it clear that I would pay them to do it. But the extra work and inconvenience have kept everything as is. Ruts, being stuck etc.

It will dry out and I will put the ditches in then. Not so noticeable in drought years.

[BreadWinner]

What happens when the lake fills up too full and floods out the farmers that have land around it? Is it their fault that you are at a higher elevation than them and you feel free to dump more water into the waterways. Maybe the gov needs to start helping out people in these situations by buying back the land that is now unfarmable. But the way I see it the gov won't step up to the plate so it's every farmer for himself. There is no rules against suing the guy uphill from flooding you out. I would recommend those ditching to be aware that they are affecting someone downstream somewhere and it might cost you bigger than you could imagine. Your insurance won't cover you being sued.

[BreadWinner]

I am one of those people by the way, we relocated our whole farm due to flooding. House,shop, bins, cattle sold due to flooded out pasture land. But the guys just keep on ditching, I guess I'm fed up with dealing with your water. You can't take your trackhoe and dig yourself out of this mess. Just wait for that letter from the courts to come to your house. The courts and lawyers are going to gobble up your farm and I'll take what is left. Thanks for doing all the ditching on my future land.

[kato]

My cousin hasn't had a crop in two years thanks to drainage either. He says the bright spot is that this year it happened before he spent good money seeding, unlike last year. Wide areas of southwestern Manitoba are turning into wastelands because of it.

The city of Brandon has been flooded by the Assiniboine all summer. Huge amounts of money were spent in the past to develop parks and walkways along the river which are now under mud and water and surrounded by dead drowned trees.

There are consequences to ditching, but it takes a look at the big picture to see how they add up. Your ditching problem is falling prey to the regulations that are there for a reason, and which will apply to every situation, no matter how small.

As for your neighbour, I suspect if it wasn't this issue, it would be another one. Neighbour troubles are the worst.