The Editor:
My family moved just below Boundary Dam 42 years ago. In the 1970s, flooding was nearly an annual occurrence. Long Creek would come first, then the Souris, about a week later. They always came after the snow was gone. I also owned land south of Hitchcock, in the valley. I was always against the building of Rafferty Dam.
The government cannot control drugs in a maximum security prison, how are they going to control Mother Nature?
I have seen the Souris Valley turn blue in a matter of hours after a summer rain. The river would rise slowly and after it peaked, it would slowly drop. The spring flood was a one time event for the year. Key word is spring. This year was totally different for it was entirely man made. There were four or five different floods this year.
In April, I had no water flowing past my home one day and then the next day it was 150 cubic metres per second and yet a few days later couldn't walk across in places.
I talked to a couple of farmers by Oungre; they said their snow was just starting to melt. They told me "you ain't seen nothing yet."
While this snow was melting, the government was holding water back in the dams instead of letting it go. They could have controlled the flow so Roche Percee would not have flooded. Instead, while the water was dropping in Weyburn, Radville and Roche Percee, Rafferty was filling up. Then the rains came!
Rain is not a new occurrence, it happens and they should have planned for that. I spoke to some government people and asked them that question.
Why wasn't the army called in? It's our men and women. They are young, strong and dedicated. They are basically taught two things; to fight and to win. Politicians are taught to pass the buck.
At the flood meeting held in the Legion, I asked if the water board (Sask. Watershed Authority) was present, and they weren't.
Each section of this river system has people who have lived there for many years, some for over 50 years. They know the river! None were consulted that I know of, and all have said basically the same thing, they should have been letting the water go slow enough so no one got flooded, but fast enough to keep the water levels in the dam safe.
This flood was man made and it's easy to prove.
We who live along the river need to come together.
My home was not damaged by any of the flooding.
This place is more than a home, it's a foundation of a family. My parents' great grandchildren now play in the yard and build memories for generations.
Sincerely,
Lester Hinzman
Estevan
