But for his neighbours, cattleman Bill Lee would have had a wreck on his hands when the Athabasca River spilled its banks in Barrhead County last month.
Lee, who is also the county’s reeve, is one of many producers whose land was flooded by the rising waters of three rivers in the area.
Lee and his family were in Red Deer for his daughter’s wedding on the July 9 weekend. When he left home, the Athabasca River, which borders his property, was four to five feet below the top of the riverbank. Given that and the fact there were no flood warnings in effect, Lee figured his cattle, on a small island created by a branch of river, were safe.
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But throughout the weekend, Lee heard reports the river was rising fast. He contacted a neighbour who told him that the river was going over its banks. Two other neighbours, Al and Linda Colp, evacuated 10 cows, 20 calves and a bull surrounded by fast-moving water that was about 4-1/2 feet deep. They managed to find a shallower crossing point and transported the calves across the water in a tractor, which persuaded the cows to follow.
“The streams were as high as the floorboards of the tractor,” said Lee. “I’m just grateful that my neighbours were able to help. I’m very lucky to have my cows.”
Lee’s land – covered with mud and silt, and damaged by small channels created by fast-moving water – is part of 9,000 flood-damaged acres in Barrhead County, which declared a state of agricultural disaster on July 19. Producers whose land has been damaged have been urged to contact the county office with suitable documentation.
Lee said he is frustrated that Alberta Environment didn’t issue a flood warning before the July 9 weekend.
Messy aftermath
The flood waters have since receded, leaving behind a mess of silt and rotting vegetation on pasture, hay and cropland, said county manager Mark Oberg.
“We have vast tracts of farmland that stink like sewer and are of no use,” he said.
The worst flooding was on land adjacent to the Athabasca River, but the overflowing Pembina River also caused damage. The Barrhead area has received more rain than normal, but the flooding is the result of high rainfall in the foothills.
Oberg said a state of agricultural disaster is different from a state of emergency as no residents were in physical danger.
“Disasters usually happen quite quickly,” said Oberg. “This was slow but equally destructive.”
By declaring a state of agricultural disaster, producers in the county are eligible for provincial government support. Local MLA Ken Kowalski said the matter has been discussed with the provincial and federal governments, who are considering using the AgriRecovery program, which compensates producers who are faced with “specific, extraordinary and extreme events that are not covered by other types of insurance.” Oberg said, “Regular crop insurance will handle part of the relief, but not all, there are good programs out there, but they can’t help with this type of event.”
Barrhead County, home to about 5,800 residents, has not seen flooding like this for more than 25 years. The nearby county of Lac St. Anne has also declared a state of agricultural disaster due to flooding.
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“Disastersusually happenquitequickly. Thiswasslowbut equallydestructive.”
Mark Oberg
