The Town of Lampman has received an early Christmas present from the provincial government.
It was announced last week that Lampman received the final payment for the flood protection efforts they had to undertake over the past couple of years after the community was threatened by a lake that had formed northwest of the town.
According to a government press release, more than $640,000 was paid to Lampman through the Emergency Flood Damage Reduction Program. The Town built a number of berms and a lift station to prevent flooding.
"Lampman has been one of the hardest hit areas in the province as they continue to deal with these water-related issues," Minister Responsible for the Water Security Agency Ken Cheveldayoff said. "It's important for the people of Saskatchewan to know that this government is here to take action so that our communities can continue to grow and prosper."
The release added that since 2011, the Water Security Agency has committed nearly $6 million to the Town of Lampman and the surrounding area to deal with flood protection and mitigation efforts as a result of the record amounts of precipitation in 2010 and 2011.
"Our town has been through a lot the last few years and we want to thank the provincial government for providing this funding to ensure our citizens are safe and secure," Lampman Mayor Scott Greening said.
In an interview with The Mercury, Town administrator Greg Wallin said the funding from the government covered 75 per cent of the berm and lift station, meaning Lampman is left with a bill in the $160,000 range. They are also on the hook for future operating costs.
"It's still a very expensive venture for a small community," said Wallin who added they are talking to the province about decreasing their percentage to 10 per cent. "As far as operating, it just depends how much you have to pump and how much washes away each year."
Although much of the flood focus in 2011 was centred around the Souris River, both Lampman and Benson had to battle water from a channel that originated in the Fillmore area and travelled southeast past Benson and pooled around Lampman, creating a lake that has become known as Lake Roy.
Wallin, who is also the administrator for the RM of Browning, said while the situation in Lampman is under control, they still have major issues in the RM, which could worsen with an average snowfall this winter.
"It all depends what happens this year," he said. "We are still working on getting a price on pumping the water because the roads are still under water. It is still that high, but it's down low enough so that with the little bit of trench that we did dig, it's not running anymore.
"As far as being out of trouble, it depends on what happens in the winter and the spring. If we get even close to an average snowfall, we'll be flooded again. The hope we have is with this little trench we dug, it won't get any higher than it did at its highest peak before. We are still in a very serious situation."
Wallin said the ideal situation is to find a permanent solution, but he estimates that would likely cost in the millions of dollars, making it unfeasible for them and the other RMs.
"We are in an oilfield. The ground is full of pipelines and power lines. It would be very expensive to go underneath every one of those. Another option is running a permanent pipeline and pumping it and that is millions."
Wallin noted that RM of Browning and Town of Lampman have joined with eight other RMs in the impacted areas to form the Lake Roy Watershed Association.
"We just all sit down as a group to decide what we can do and how you can benefit (everyone). Right now, most emphasis is based here because we need to get rid of it, but a long-term plan would be to have something that would help every municipality along the way."
