WESTLOCK - Unprecedented rainfall over the last couple of years has led to overland flooding for some farmers downstream of LeBeaus Lake, and farmers whose land borders it.
At issue for downstream landowners is a release valve for floodwater from Lebeaus Lake that the county opened in July to let water flow down their channel and into Dapp Creek, but that’s caused overland flooding on private farmland.
Affected residents will hold a meeting Sept. 10 that will include representatives from Alberta Environment and Parks.
This is a relatively new problem in the county. Systems that were put in place 60 or 70 years ago, when the biggest concern was keeping water in, can no longer adequately cope with the unprecedented amounts of water farmers have seen in the last three years.
At Lebeaus Lake, a county employee explained during a July 14 governance and priorities meeting, water release suffered some modifications 70 years ago. Landowners on the lake, which used to be connected to Helliwell Lake, wanted to drain the lake on the southside.
At the same time, drainage out of Lebeaus Lake was re-routed north, and that’s how the county ended up with a channel that takes water from the lake and into Dapp Creek.
Except, she said, some landowners have dug their own channels to drain their farmland “without authorization or permission,” and they lead into the county’s channel that’s an escape route for water out of Lebeaus Lake.
Interim CAO Rick McDonald later clarified that the county doesn’t know if they do or don’t have permits for the channels.
Councillors were watching some drone footage of the private channels, but McDonald said the county won’t make that film public since it’s “proprietary to Westlock County,” and there’s private property shown on it.
In early July, the county decided to let water flow through the channel because the water level Lebeaus Lake was too high. There’s a variable control structure operated and maintained by the county, and they opened the valve.
For landowners downstream, this led to overland flooding. Instead of flowing freely into Dapp Creek, the water made its way into those private channels farmers had dug.
“There’s flooding upstream, around the lake, and downstream. Downstream, my younger brother’s more affected than I am. There’s four or five landowners downstream that don’t understand how the county can crack the valve and drain the lake towards that creek, drain it north, and contribute to overland flooding on private property,” said David Woynorowski, one of the affected landowners.
The purpose of the meeting in September is to get some clarity on who had control over the Lebeaus Lake release valve, and under what conditions it can be operated.
As for the private channels: “We’re not adding surface water, we’re just draining what’s already existing into an existing channel,” Woynorowski said. So landowners also want clarity from Environment and Parks about what permits they need to drain their own water.
Jason Penner, communications advisor with Environment and Parks, clarified to TC Staff that approval from the ministry is required for all diversions of water “regardless of use or purpose” as per the Water Act.
“The application process includes public notice and a statement of concern process to help identify impacts to neighbours and other parties downstream,” he wrote in a July 30 e-mail.
On the other side of this issue are the landowners with property around Lebeaus Lake, who unwillingly find themselves in the middle of the dispute between the much more vocal downstream farmers and the county.
One of the farmers whose land borders the lake — who preferred to remain anonymous — explained that they’re simply trying to work through the issue with the count, and they’re encouraged by that interaction.
The farmer spoke on background about the flooding issue, confirming much of what both the county and Woynorowski have said, but remained adamant that the only way to solve the issue is by working together.
As it stands, because of unprecedented rainfall, the county’s channel can’t handle both water from Lebeaus Lake and from private farmland. Not releasing water out of the lake when it floods means farmland on its borders is under water. Releasing it means overland flooding for downstream farmers.
Andreea Resmerita, TownandCountryToday.com
Follow me on Twitter @andreea_res
