The provincial government is moving to provide an additional $33.9 million to the Saskatchewan Watershed Authority to cover costs related to this year's unprecedented flooding.
Of this amount, $22 million will cover additional costs incurred through the Emergency Flood Damage Reduction Program, which was designed to help communities, rural municipalities, businesses and individuals prepare for anticipated spring flooding. Because of the need, the program assisted more than 1,100 clients, much more than the 650 originally anticipated.
"The exceptional spring runoff this year meant many more citizens and communities requested assistance than anticipated back in February," Minister responsible for the Saskatchewan Watershed Authority Dustin Duncan said. "The Premier made a commitment at that time to ensure assistance was available to those who needed it. The additional funds announced today will cover the costs and ensure assistance is available in case of further flood threats through the fall."
Under the Emergency Flood Damage Reduction Program, the Saskatchewan Watershed Authority provided engineering assistance and shared the cost of flood protection measures. Evaluations of projects so far indicate approximately $10 in flood damages were prevented for each dollar the government invested.
Additional funding is also being provided to allow Watershed Authority to complete work on emergency flood projects at Fishing Lake and the Waldsea, Deadmoose and Houghton lakes flood control projects and to repair damage at dams and related infrastructure damaged by the high water.
Total project funding allocated to the Watershed Authority for emergency response to the 2011 flood is $76 million. The Federal Government has agreed to pay a portion of these flood prevention costs, but the exact federal contribution is not yet known.
The Saskatchewan Watershed Authority leads the management of the province's source water to ensure safe, reliable water supplies.
