The Reeve of Stuartburn is asking for donations of PTO pumps and raised pieces of land as his municipality tries desperately to mitigate the “agricultural disaster” caused by local flooding.

David Kiansky says the pumps are needed to move water off of crops and into ditches and high ground is needed to temporarily house cattle as their regular homes are now entirely underwater.

“Some people, just have no pasture left to keep their cattle on,” he says, “right we’ve got two farmers making arrangements to move 100 head of cattle because the water is encroaching and spreading out wider and wider.”

To make matters worse, Kiansky says it is calving season. That means transporting the animals away from the water hazard on damaged municipal roads poses the new risk of aborting unborn calves. Acknowledging the additional expenses that will be incurred by such a move, the reeve has reached out to the provincial government asking them to supplement 50% of the costs. He asks anyone willing to lend available pumps or open land that can house livestock is asked to contact the RM office.

Stuartburn hog operations, meanwhile, are fighting a slightly different battle. Health code regulations make it difficult for pig farmers to empty their barns but the usual feed delivery routes are quickly becoming swamped. To ensure hogs continue to get their necessary nourishment, Kiansky says his municipal response team has prioritized sandbagging along Morozenko Road, a vital access point for the facilities.

Navigating roads like this make feed delivery and transporting cattle exceedingly difficult.

Other immediate concerns exist on the two main provincial roads running through the RM. Kiansky says PR 302 near Vita and PR 201 between Caliento and Sundown presently have overland flooding. Both roads remain passable and crews are working hard to keep it that way.

Looking towards next week’s forecast, Kiansky says his stomach churns in fear.

“Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday we’re supposed to get more rain and boy I hope that’s not true.” Even if the rain does hold off, he says a bleak sense of realism has settled in “It’ll take three weeks before we see any light at the end of this tunnel.”