For those who do not believe wet is bad.

[freewheat]

Forage farmer, drainage has been happening for decades here. It IS RAINFALL IN EXTREME AMOUNTS THAT IS THE ISSUE. In nearby Fishing lake, the sturdy that made drainage illegal here for a time, stated that the lake level was up 3 inches due to farmers draining, and the rest of the rise of 6 to 8 feet was due to insane rainfall and snowpack levels not seen in history.

We recognize that our water runs into the red eventually, but it is not from farmers draining. It is from 46 inch rain years, full huge waterbodies here that take eons to drain off, and a new level of equilibrium that is going to take decades to dry out.

When 4 feet of water falls in 4 months, it is easy to blame drainage for those who never measured the rain. When there is ZERO evaporation due to no sun and cold summers, a four foot rainfall raises lake levels four feet just on it's own, let alone the tens of thousands of acres feeding the lakes with four more feet of runoff.

Regarding the government of Manitoba: You think it is stellar to have a party elected only in the one major city, running rural affairs? Interesting concept, but no thanks.

[Klause]

Less rain is the cure.


However if the lakes were 6 ft lower the red wouldn't get nearly as high as they do.

We live in an area with organized ditches... C and D projects... Watershed boards...



All this water ends up in the red.


So does most water east of the rockies... it all ends up in Manitoba and goes north

[foragefarmer]

Freewheat

"Regarding the government of Manitoba: You think it is stellar to have a party elected only in the one major city, running rural affairs? Interesting concept, but no thanks."

Where do you read in my post that requires the above response you make to me regarding the Mb. government. Learn to read as I called them a problem government.

As far as drainage going on for decades nothing near to the extent it is happening now in the prairies. Also what was the size of farms decades ago and how many more was there back then. Many of them were mixed farms as well.

Freewheat, as for you specific area I don't know your problems. I'm was speaking in general terms of the prairies over all. Again learn read.

Freewheat what are your thoughts on why so much more rain is coming down? I know you take everything as gospel that comes from Harper, so it certainly can't be climate change.

[grassfarmer]

There is an irony here if only Klause could see it. The poor folks in AB that have had their lives and farming efforts and ability to sell their farms negatively affected by oil field contamination but you deny it ever happens.

Here is just once case in my area:

http://www.frackingcanada.ca/who-votes-for-this/

[fjlip]

Unfortunately none of us or any gov can stop the rain/snow. They can only control farmer drainage, so that is what will happen at Quill when the repair bills for highways, roads and rail beds get too outrageous. There are many acres draining into dead end Quill, many dug ditches. That OR drain it south. Who down at Last Mtn wants Quill water? drink up, or get out of the way.

[freewheat]

Forage guy. relax a mite, huh? Regarding the high rain amounts, it is a freak of nature, a cycle if you will. No I do not believe in man made climate change, but I DO believe in the general fact that climate always changes and has never been a constant in history. IF they let the water out of the Quill Lakes, I hope you enjoy the salinity coming your way. Maybe you could stalk the Red with salmon? Lol.

Thankfully, things are much drier this year. I just wish the man made global warming would kick in one of these years so it would dry enough to seed though. Sick of cold springs and summers. They all say it is warming. Well I am waiting. And waiting.

[freewheat]

FJ, Al Gore and dear David S can stop snow and cool the earth all at the same time. Come on, get with the program. Getting close over there yet? Get much rain yesterday?

[fjlip]

3mm, some are seeding/fertilizing, most harrowing, closing ditches, looking for rocks. Will cult around the BIG water soon, then harrow and hope for global warming next week, LOL.

[foragefarmer]

Freewheat

What makes you so sure it's a "freak of nature" or a cycle. Just how many years has this been happening to you. One hell of cycle?

[grassfarmer]

foragefarmer it could be a lengthy cycle. Tree ring data in Alberta has shown droughts worse than the 1930s lasting for 30 years in the past. Droughts that wouldn't sustain modern agriculture. Data indicates the 20th century was exceptionally wet in relation to previous centuries. Cycles can be long and weather extremes huge here historically.

[Hopperbin]

Those quill lakes have a salt content. I would imagine land under water is ruined for awhile even if some gets drained. what about long lake salinity and down stream. Some tuff decisions to make. Also what good is a berm if wind and 6foot waves come in the Middle of night.

[freewheat]

Forage guy. The wet years started in the fall of 2005. 06 was stupid wet, 07 as well. Then it was half decent 08 and 09 for weather, but the soil was still wrecked from the prior two years. 2010 was the worst, but then that affected "lower" rainfall years of 2011 and 2012 and 2013. Lower rainfall is relative.

So it has not been a solid decade of terrible weather, just 5 years have rained A LOT. The other 5 were still well above average, but were a breather so to speak. The trouble is, the nasty precip years, wrecked the other not so bad years, because of hyper saturated soils, and no crop or poor crops which limited moisture use in the years it rained a bit less.

Hope that helps answer your question.

[freewheat]

Exactly Hopper. The land around the quill lakes, while relatively productive, has some pretty strong salinity readings which are its main limitation for good production. The lakes are very salty, though less now with the fresh water additions.

But once flooded, even if drained, I would bet the land is a wreck forever...

[sumdumguy]

Back to back Canary for a few years and presto!

[fjlip]

All the Dutch WW2 liberation on the news, one soldier's story mentioned the Nazis broke the dykes when retreating and sea water flooded part of Holland then. For sure it was pumped out, wonder how long the soil took to recover from SALTY North Sea waters?