Drainage continues to be more challenging each year. This is due to many factors, including climate change, increased development and more efficient private drainage. Truth be told, many of our ditches were not built to meet the current level of use.
In 2016, we completed two comprehensive studies of areas regularly troubled with drainage problems: the Bunns Creek and Gunns Creek drainage areas.
Download Bunns Creek and Tributary Drains – Drain and Crossing Upgrades Hydrologic and Hydraulic Assessment
Download Gunns Creek Hydrologic and Hydraulic Assessment Drain and Crossing Upgrades
The reports identify millions of dollars in expenditures to redevelop these drainage areas. Further reports are planned for 2017 for other watersheds within the RM including. Correcting drainage is a slow and complex undertaking and we want to be sure we do it right. Planned work will require provincial approval before work can begin. In the meantime, we will be increasing work on the maintenance of many minor drains as provincial water regulations allow.
All this planning effort should put us in a position to make a significant impact on many problem areas, but the work is expensive. To ensure that the resources exist to fix these problems Council is considering borrowing $1.5 million to get a good jump ahead.