Areas of Île-à-la-Crosse are completely surrounded by water. (supplied/Saskatchewan Public Safety Agency)

By Derek Cornet

flood planning

Northern mayors believe permanent berms needed as water rises

Jul 22, 2020 | 3:10 PM

Two northern mayors believe berms will need to be built to secure their communities from the possibility of future flooding.

That’s what Cumberland House Mayor Kelvin McKay is calling upon the provincial government to do as the water level in the area is expected to peak tomorrow at 267.79 m. According to the Water Security Agency (WSA), annual precipitation in northern Saskatchewan is approximately 130 millimetres higher than the 30-year climate normal. This has also resulted in multiple high stream flow warnings issued in recent months.

“We’ve had experience at these levels and people aren’t panicked anymore by it,” McKay said. “Just by observing water levels and seeing where it is at physically in our river system, lakes and stuff like that, I don’t think the people of Cumberland were too alarmed.”

McKay explained Cumberland House has been threatened by high water in the past, most notably in 2005, 2011 and 2013, which is the last year residents evacuated because of it. In 2011, however, he said a berm was constructed to mitigate high water, noting a report was also done a couple years age recommending the berm be completed. That would extend from Chaboyer Street to the nearby Cumberland House Cree Nation.

“That would completely protect both communities, Cumberland and the reserve,” McKay said. “That berm was recommended and, for some reason, we’re told there’s no money to complete the berm even though there was a threat and possibility of water coming in through that low spot.”

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Water levels in Cumberland House since July 10. (Water Security Agency)

Île-à-la-Crosse Mayor Duane Favel feels optimistic the village will be OK when the peak hits July 28. The present elevation is at 420.98 m and it will peak at 421.1 m. He said sandbagging and the building of berms have already begun and he thinks the water can rise another 18 inches without posing an issue.

Favel mentioned it seems as though Île-à-la-Crosse is dealing with high water more often, noting 2013, 2014 and 2017 were difficult years. He said all the preventative work done this summer has calmed the anxiety residents were feeling and a long-term solution will be needed.

Water levels in Île-à-la-Crosse since the end of April. (Water Security Agency)

“It’s time to build a permanent berm and address the areas we sandbagged,” Favel said. “The berms could be depending on how we want to move forward when the water starts to recede. We’ll have this discussion when the water starts to recede about making those berms permanent and then addressing the eastern portion of the community where the lake is coming in from.”

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derek.cornet@jpbg.ca

Twitter: @saskjourno