The spring melt quickly became a problem for the Town of St. Paul last week in the southwest area of town. Melting snow formed a large pond at the corner of the golf course south on 53rd street, with the rising water threatening to cross the road and flood into residential property on the east side of the street.
Town CAO Kim Heyman said the town took immediate action to mitigate the situation bringing in a pump and laying 2,800 feet of pipe east along the walking trail to 47th street to divert water away from the houses. Pumping was being done around the clock with three shifts manning the area.
The situation is the result of a combination of things, according to Hayman, and it’s not the first time the area has experienced flooding.
“We are trying to mitigate it because some of our development is responsible for the extra water flowing through there,” Heyman said Wednesday. “We are working on a long-term solution, this is temporary for the spring. We are just seeing the tip of the iceberg and we may need to bring in a second pump.”
By Monday morning, the flooding in the area had increased significantly, with more of the golf course and walking trail in the area under water.
A natural watercourse flows through the golf course from the west, across private land owned by Don Belland and south to the lake. Spring runoff from the county also finds its way through the area, navigating the easiest path to the lake. A frozen storm water vault at the location didn’t help matters either, but when that opened up later in the week, the water quickly began pouring into Belland’s land.
However, Heyman said the situation is amplified by the fact Belland has removed culverts and blocked the normal flow of water from the area through his land.
Belland is in defiance of an Alberta Environment and Parks enforcement order issued in August 2017. At that time, he was found to be in contravention of the Water Act and ordered to immediately remove a blockage from the watercourse, that he allegedly installed, and restore the watercourse elevations to pre-disturbance conditions. He was also directed to restore the flow in the watercourse to pre-disturbance conditions.
The enforcement order notes, “There is a storm water outfall immediately north of Belland’s property, within the Town of St. Paul; the outfall is part of the town’s storm water drainage system that directs water into an unnamed watercourse crossing Belland’s property.”
The order directed that Belland complete the work by Aug. 31, 2017. However, no remediation work has been undertaken by Belland to this point.
The Journal did speak with Belland at the site on Friday morning. At that point, the storm water vault had opened and water was gushing from it across Belland’s land towards the lake. Belland said he has filed an appeal to the enforcement order and the matter was in the hands of Environment.
Environment spokesperson Jamie Hanlon told the Journal in an email Monday the enforcement order issued remains in place. “As this matter refers to an active investigation, we are unable to provide any further comment.”
Hanlon also stated, “Officials from Alberta Environment and Parka are in contact with the Town of St. Paul and are monitoring the situation. Regional Compliance staff are scheduled to meet with town officials in the coming weeks.
According to information found on the department’s website, a notice of appeal was received from Belland on Sept. 27, 2017. Alberta Environmental Protection challenged the appeal, indicating it was received after an enforced seven-day deadline. No follow-up submission was received from Belland as to why the appeal was late. As a result, the appeal was dismissed on Dec. 22. As of March 20, there had been no change in the status of the appeal.
Belland told the Journal that while he had no problem with the normal flow of spring runoff across his land, he believes development in the town and county has compounded the amount of water significantly over the years to the point that his land has been cut in two by the channel the water is carving on its way to the lake. He’s been on the land since the early 1960s and believes property development in the town has redirected water that once flowed through the golf course and followed a path in the area between 45 and 46 avenues, is now flooding through his land because of housing development in that area.
“In all fairness to Mr. Belland, we have done a lot of development and it has added to the flow of water, more than ever before,” Heyman said. “However, I don’t think the town should be totally responsible for this. Environment should enforce the EPO. Unblock it so the water can go through there naturally.”
Heyman said the town does need to take a look at storm water ponds on the golf course and give them greater capacity. Additionally, the county and town have acquired provincial monies to undertake a storm water study with town taking the lead.
The issue is by no means a new one for the Town of St. Paul with information in the enforcement order dating back to 2004 whereby “property developer, Adrian Chamberland, notified Alberta Environment that Belland had placed rocks and installed undersized culverts in the watercourse. This action backed up water and flooded three basements north of the lands in the town.”
Lac La Biche-St. Paul-Two Hills MLA Dave Hanson spoke to the issue in the Alberta Legislature last week questioning Environment Minister Shannon Phillips why Environment has not enforced the order given to Belland.
“Why will you not enforce this order where a landowner has literally filled in over a kilometre of natural watercourse resulting in runoff backing up into residences in the town,” Hanson questioned the minister.
He said the Town of Paul is “facing an estimated $130,000 in costs to try to prevent flooding into people’s homes due to a lack of action from your department. Your department tried to stuff this issue back onto the Town of St. Paul. Why should the town and taxpayers have to pay for your negligence on this file?”
Phillips indicated she look into the matter and provide Hanson with information on the file.
