Province's long-overdue tributary clean-up causes flooding

The RM of Portage la Prairie's council decided to move ahead and put their voice behind the need to lobby the province about maintaining third order drains.

Reeve Kam Blight says the issue will be debated at the Association of Manitoba Municipalities' June district meetings and explains the problem. 

"It's in relation to lobbying the Province of Manitoba to invest more moneys in maintaining third order drains, such as Mill Creek, LaSalle, Elm River, and Elm channel. These tributaries, drains, and these channels have been neglected in the past. There's a lot of deadfall and a lot of growth. The water is not flowing through these tributaries like they should be."

He explains the resulting impacts have been massive this spring with water backing up.   

"Water not able to get away and then a lot of overland flooding has impacted lots of residences, agricultural land, and roads," continues Blight. "We're going to be bringing forward a resolution to these June district meetings to lobby the province to reinvest in properly maintaining these drains so that they can convey the water like they should."

The motion was moved by Councillor Kevin Blight and seconded by Douglas McAuley:

WHEREAS Provincial drains and natural waterways, commonly referred as third order drains, are the responsibility of the Province of Manitoba;

And whereas the Province of Manitoba has not maintained its third order drains and structures; 
And whereas the impact of unmaintained third order drains and structures significantly impacts infrastructure and property along these drains, including agricultural practises and crop quality;
And whereas time is of the essence in the maintenance of these third order drains and structures;
And whereas the Province of Manitoba has not updated its Drainage Policy in respect to third order drains since February 1990.
THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that AMM lobby the Province of Manitoba to regularly maintain all third order drains;
And that the Province of Manitoba update its Drainage Policy.

The motion was carried.