Water, Water, EverywhereActions needed to mitigate

Future flooding in Manitoba & Saskatchewan

Presentation by Jordan MorningstarCouncillor for RM of Brenda, Ward 1

Three Primary Concerns

Public Safety Economic Environmental

Public Safety

Access to ALL towns, villages, and occupied farm yards MUST be maintained.

If an emergency happens during a flood and EMT services cannot reach the person, they are as good as dead.

One person drowned in this year's flood, how many in the next flood?

Economic

Cost to store water on farmlands is borne completely by the farmer

Farmers paid for the land, they pay tax on the land and interest on the mortgage, no matter how much water is on top of it.

Economic

If people in larger centres want to be protected from flood waters, they should be the ones paying to be protected.

Therefore, the government needs to pay rent on the land that has been used for Flood Mitigation for the larger centres.

Economic

Reducing the losses from flooding is a good thing, BUT:

Forcing farmers and rural residents to shoulder the extra water (and loss) without compensation creates a two-tier society where certain Manitoba residents are “worthy” of flood protection, and certain residents are not.

Environmental

Wetlands are a good thing Creating habitat that supports biodiversity

is a good thing Allowing farmers and rural people to help

the process is a good thing.

Environmental

Using farmland as water storage to protect the urban centres from flooding and passing it off as “wetlands” is a bad thing.

Displacement of land & habitat as shorelines change shape and size

Hundreds of thousands of dead trees along rivers and sloughs.

Aquatic wildlife carried out of lakes & dams by floodwaters into unsuitable habitats.

Solutions

First solution: DON'T BLAME THE FARMERS!

We didn't cause the rain to fall, we shouldn't be punished for it.

Solutions

Second Solution:Do not force rural communities, individuals, and municipalities to shoulder the cost of flood mitigation “for the greater good.”

If people downstream want protection and wetlands, they should pay for protection and wetlands.

Solutions

Third Solution:Accept Local Input

We are the ones living here, we are the ones who know where the water goes and how it acts