Moose Jaw, Regina, Melfort, Tisdale, Estevan and Cumberland House are some communities currently developing flood mapping projects
The provincial and federal governments will spend $4.5 million each to update and expand flood maps to protect high-risk communities in Saskatchewan.
The additional funding will boost the $9 million already committed by the province’s Water Security Agency (WSA) and Natural Resources Canada.
The funds will be used to hire consulting services to develop flood mapping products to support communities in designing their own emergency plans and to determine flood mitigation needs and options.
“This program is essential to advance our aerial lidar and ground survey work in critical areas of the province most vulnerable to flooding,” David Marit, the province’s minister responsible for managing water resources, said in a statement released Thursday. “The information we collect will help us identify where risks are, which will lead to a better understanding of the mitigation and protection work required to keep people and communities safe.”
Community flood mapping is one of 25 measures outlined in the province’s climate resilience measurement framework. Research by the WSA shows that every dollar invested in flood prevention saves up to $20 in flood damage for each community.
Moose Jaw, Regina, Melfort, Tisdale, Estevan and Cumberland House are some communities currently developing flood mapping projects, the release added. WSA also recently completed a multi-year flood mapping study with the Town of Eastend, which collected data, performed hydraulic analysis and produced flood maps.
“Flood maps are an essential part of building resiliency to natural disasters in our urban municipalities around the province,” SUMA president Randy Goulden said. “As the effects of climate change continue to grow, this resilience will enable our members, from the smallest villages to the largest cities, to continue to provide essential services to their residents.”
Eastend Mayor Jesse Gordon said the study educated the community on the dimensions of the floodplain and assessed which areas and infrastructure were most at risk, helping them improve their emergency response plan.
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