Farmers near Southey, Sask. struggling to stay dry

SOUTHEY, Sask. – The province has managed to avoid major widespread flooding this spring; however one area about 40 kilometres north of Regina is struggling to stay dry.

About 50 roads and at least three farm yards in the Rural Municipality of Cupar are under water.

“I’ve never seen this much water here. If you talk to the local landowners, they will agree that we’ve never seen that much water,” said Ray Orb, the reeve of the RM of Cupar.

The Saskatchewan Water Security Agency said levels in most areas of the province are receding, except for the area near Southey, which spokesperson Patrick Boyle called “localized flooding”.

A few sloughs in the area are at capacity and the water has nowhere to drain. The RM is receiving provincial funding to pay for emergency pumping.

“We plan to start laying the pipe sometime today (Friday) and to hopefully finish that Sunday and start pumping the water out,” said Orb.

Michael Zurowski, a landowner in the RM, figured he’ll lose about $8,000 in income because of flooded land.

“Usually we have runoff but this is just exceptional this year,” said Zurowski. “I’d guess 100 acres (of mine) are flooded.”

Neighbour Bill McCullum is trying to protect his home by surrounding it with a berm, but his concern is the water could rise again.

“We’re really just going to be isolated inside this wall,” said McCullum. “But I guess now the muskrats are having fun.”

As the berms build up and the pumping begins, residents said they are beginning to feel more comfortable, as long as the weather cooperates.

“If we get heavier rainfall this summer, we could be back in exactly the same situation again,” said Orb.

The Water Security Agency said its received about one hundred applications from homeowners for its Emergency Flood Damage Reduction Program so far in 2015, mainly from rural residents in southeastern Saskatchewan.

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