Water Drainage/Sask Water Security Board

[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.

[oneoff]

Rivers, creeks and flood plains are present for a reason. Their courses were formed by erosion prior to any human impacts.

A part of the solution is to let these areas convey water. If you are not sure that the instances of flooding would have occurred in any event; that is; with or without the influence of cities, towns villages AND farmers; then at least cooperate to solve the huan impact by using public compensation to make sure the next time you are above the high water mark possible.

And it isn't just river systems that have drainage problems. The year that Manitoba complainants acknowledge their own Manitoba drainage works will be the time to take that province seriously.

That ought to rile up some new people.

[Oliver88]

Approximately 10 years ago APAS suggested the idea of paying farmers for their wetlands.

That now seems like a reasonable idea.

[mbdog]

Oneoff...dunno if that was a shot or ot but in saying drainage works, I mean work done, not that it works. My point was it is far from working ....and by and large this issue is not a high priority for the province/municipalities with lots of heels being dragged. Long term strategies and clear regulatory oversight is required, not pittance water shed funding controlled by local decision makers. Beurocracy seems to be worried about own survival, local and provincial governments like revenues from increasing tax base, but rural infrastructure attention/investment is lacking with this government.

[sumdumguy]

Why is your yard flooding? Who picked the location of your yard?

[fjlip]

Usually yards were built way before drainage happened, therefore unforeseen. If 3000 acres of water drainage did not flow through our land, we would not be at risk. In 2010 water was up to buildings in yard, Water Security and the assistance paid 85% to berm and add culverts. We needed a flow control to prevent contamination of dugout water supply to house. All fine but the cause is the 3000 acres draining through our 120 acres rendering half of that useless. Do I get that drainage stopped and kill the "progress" of neighbors or should they ensure that other lands are not lost due to their dry to seed 3000 acres? Current law states if any water leaves your land a permit is required no matter the outlet/river/stream. In this area virtually ZERO compliance. Track hoes, sc****rs, working everywhere. Who is the crappy neighbor?

[oneoff]

mbdog...What you say appears to have more truth than maybe all that has been written so far in this set of posts. I'm being confrontational; because being conciliatory is seen as proof of guilt and signs of weakness. That dear reader does not work when it comes to drainage. People who suffer damages want someone, anyone to blame, be responsible and pay forever.

Most drainage works are futile efforts to do something to alleviate problems. That doesn't mean that all thoughts of improvements should be quashed; nor all drainage (except past works that arguably are 100% of supposed problems) should be handed a moratorium.

With mitigation, planning and cooperation and common sense there could be actual net benefits.

On the other hand; creeks, rivers and water runs have always run. There is also no harm in those runs operating in run off periods for longer time periods. That requires control structures; and should be a part of past and present works.

Some landowners have the attitude that their "natural" lie of the land; and drainage work that were done on their properties should be overlooked; but those same persons are first to attempt to roadblock (or worse UNILATERALLY CONTROL) anything that looks like a potential impact on any part of THEIR world. To allow any such one issue group the control of the destiny of agriculture (for instance) is not putting societies future in good hands

In general; those people can not all,now, be worked with; reasoned with and until they are gone it is probably not possible for progress. Their concerns should be considered and fairly addressed. They are focusing on self interests and deserve more than any reasonable fair compensation actually due. It takes only one (or a handful) or a minority to stifle any and control. Sometimes they are right (for their self interests); but often they are overlooking the long term interests of other than themselves.
That is where leadership should have stepped in; or as in the present discussion; now step in. We've got "leadership" for corporate interests, plant breeder's rights and the organic movement, for instance, but not necessarily anything but lip service to near continuous showers; flooding; fields that won't support ordinary rubber tires; high humidity;soils so wet they can't be tilled or the crops harvested and weather conditions beyond any control.

These are not events that did not recur as frequently as in recent history; and farmers and farming as we know it can not continue to survive (as we know it); if they are not allowed to make reasonable and necessaryadjustments.

That obviously requires some leeway to adapt with well thought out drainage works.

It should be sufficient to have adequate control structures on these works. Thats how larger dam projects work and an allowance is made for infrequent blunders in inadvertant poor decisions that are identified in hindsight.

And 3000 acres is not the sole cause of any one persons entire flooding problems. Just because some low area is now water covered; does not mean that that lake doesn't have a name that has been conveniently forgotten. Its all a part of being "flood prone" and I'll bet that some tax relief has been built in throug the assessment system a number of decades ago.

For instance; drainage ISN'T described accurately by some unfortunate farmer who may cry foul and completely blame individuals in another province. Every piece of land can't and shouldnt be turned into a lake or swamp. Every pothole shouldn't always be full to the brim. Every farm site and town must be passable to traffic.

But those towns don't have storm sewers and the grades and lack of equalization of water levels are also "drainage " problems as in municipal roads and farm yards. Those issues need to be addressed as well when we come down hard on all drainage works (past and present)and finally implement maintained, insist on adequate control structures and a spirit of solving widespread problems.