Dams of Contention, a book that could raise eyebrows in southeast Saskatchewan, Manitoba and North Dakota, written by Winnipeg-based journalist Bill Redekop, was unveiled to local readers at a public launching in the Estevan Public Library May 8.
Much of the book focuses on the battle waged by Alameda area brothers Ed and Harold Tetzlaff who railed against the construction of the Alameda Dam, part of a multi-million dollar dual dam project in this corner of the province in the late 1980s and early 1990s. The brothers were joined at the reading by 16 other curious listeners, including a few whose lives had been turned upside down by last spring and summer's devastating floods.
Since Dams of Contention addressed what Redekop referred to as a poorly planned, poorly assessed and politically motivated project that contributed to last year's woes, they too, wanted to hear what he had to say.
Redekop noted in his remarks that the Rafferty and Alameda Dams were examples of environmental degradation and governments' abuse of power, coupled with financial mismanagement. They had one redeeming result, and that was the creation of the first environmental laws in Canada. Before that, there had been only guidelines.
"This story started in 1969 and ends in 2011," said Redekop who read a few passages from the book and answered questions from the audience before signing copies of the book for customers.
"While everyone was focused on Rafferty, the Alameda Dam project did an end-around and made it to the end-zone untouched," said Redekop, killing the Tetzlaffs' cattle business in the process.
"There was the absurd wisdom in Saskatchewan to build something to protect the United States with a $120 million dam that was going to use $41 million from the United States. It ended up costing $310 million with $60 million from the U.S. for water storage. Until 2011, the United States couldn't thank Canada enough," he said during his presentation.
The cost of the Alameda Dam alone was about $80 million, said Redekop, and the value to southeast Saskatchewan is limited from a recreational or business perspective since it has attracted only a few cottages, a nine-hole golf course and a bit of fishing.
Current Green Party leader Elizabeth May also plays prominently in Redekop's book. At the time the project was being touted by politicians, she "was a little-known adviser to federal Environment Minister Tom McMillen," said Redekop.
The author said that a licence to build the dams was granted without proper study for approval and "it was a back door political deal until the Free Press out of Winnipeg broke the story," he said.
"In Mr. Hood's book, Against the Flow, May also plays an important part," said Redekop. "She added a new twist in her search for redeeming qualities and questioned why they escaped a full environmental study," he said.
Redekop said he agreed that last spring and summer's floods were "not Saskatchewan's fault. The dams probably saved Minot from a worse fate and Minot kind of understands that. But it was a goofy situation because someone else was responsible for Minot's flood protection."
Redekop said later he and others did a lot of research because as a journalist he had been attracted to the story since there were so many facets attached to it and in the end, "Elizabeth May's version was true."
Redekop said he had been writing and researching the book well before last summer's flood, but that event lent itself as an opening for the book.
"Minot made the decision to pursue the Canadian option," he said.
There was a mixture of opinion from those attending the launch in Estevan. It varied from the dam critics such as the Tetzlaffs and those who saw the project from the perspective of someone who had lost a home or property last summer ... to the dams' proponents, one who simply stated that "anywhere in this province where you can create a viable body of water, you should do it. We can't forget all those drought years."
Harold Tetzlaff noted succinctly that one good message out of all the stories that have evolved over the two decades since the dams were built was one that would tell you, "don't build on a flood plain."
George Hood, who was the vice-president of planning and operations for the Souris Valley Development Authority, the organization that was formed to steer the project to completion, when contacted by The Mercury at his Kingston, Ont., home, said he stood behind the project from Day 1 to present. "There are no regrets for this. After two decades I'm still proud of the fact we accomplished this and so should the people of southeast Saskatchewan. Rafferty provides coolant for Shand Power Station, flood protection for the entire basin, not just Minot, and yes, there was a once in 100 or once in 500 years event and that was unfortunate and obviously devastating for all concerned."
Dick Henders, a member of the SVDA board of directors at the time and an avid wildlife advocate said ensuing comments about the dams destroying wildlife and habitat just weren't true.
"The Estevan Wildlife Federation and Ducks Unlimited supported the project. Mitigation measures more than compensated for any losses and that's evident today. There is plenty of wildlife and birds in the valley and plains," Henders said. "Yes, the dam project was very political, but with things like this, I kind of like to stick with the truth. As years go by, that disastrous fluke we had last year will be remembered, but so will the appreciation of these dams grow."
Henders said from a recreational perspective, areas such as Mainprize Park, the Bible camp on the shore plus boat launches, golf courses and recreation sites will increase in volume and value.
As far as steamrollering the process through without proper study and licensing, Hood said, "there are over 3,500 pages of archived material. I had over 6,000 pages of environmental study materials alone. The project went through a provincial environmental review, plus two federal reviews with one of those including public hearings. This was a project that was important, it was a life changer for the better for me and I say again, it had a positive outcome, I harbour no regrets and defend those projects."
Redekop and representatives from Heartland, the publishing company that has produced his book, said they were slated for a bookstore reading in Minot the next day and then would return to Winnipeg. Prior to the Estevan launch, the group had appeared for a reading and public consultation in Regina.
