Floods are taking their toll on the province.
Over the last week, the Saskatchewan Watershed Authority (SWA) reports that an additional 100 requests for assistance under the Emergency Flood Damage Reduction Program have been received, as areas of Saskatchewan continue to come under attack by rising flood waters.
Since the damage mitigation program was announced February 22, the Watershed Authority has received more than 700 requests for help under the program.
"The safety of Saskatchewan people and property is the top priority for government as we face the challenges caused by unusually high spring runoff," Minister responsible for Saskatchewan Watershed Authority Dustin Duncan says.
"We are committed to doing all that we can to help alleviate damages, and will continue to operate the Emergency Flood Damage Reduction Program until the dangers caused by spring runoff have passed.
"Recent forecasts issued by the Saskatchewan Watershed Authority continue to warn of above average and well above average runoff in many areas of the province," Duncan says.
"Some areas are experiencing severe problems caused by rising waters and, in many cases, the situation would be far worse without the assistance provided under the damage reduction program."
The emergency program provides municipalities, institutions and individuals with engineering and financial support to enact a variety of flood protection measures, including construction of berms and diversion works, clearing snow and ice from channels and culverts to improve channel conveyance and sandbagging.
Also under the program, the Saskatchewan Watershed Authority is offering free testing of private wells and cisterns used as sources of drinking water that have been potentially impacted by flooding across the province. The Watershed Authority has received 30 requests for well testing in the past week.
People who think their private well may have been contaminated can call the Saskatchewan Watershed Authority at 1-866-837-8420 (1-866-TEST H20) to find out if they are eligible for no-cost testing.
The free testing will be available until June 1, 2011.
Further details about the Emergency Flood Damage Reduction Program, up to date flood forecasts, free well testing and important safety information are available at the provincial flood website www.saskflood.ca.
