Because the Quill Lakes has no natural outlet, it is at very high risk of flooding and gains made by farmers draining wetlands upstream comes at a loss to those farmers downstream at the lakes. According to reports About 90,000 acres of farmland and pastureland have been lost with some 50 farms flooded.
This year so far, the Quill Lakes has risen almost 2 feet, and they continue to rise, flooding almost 15,000 acres of farmland. SAWS is very concerned that as long as wetland drainage continues unregulated and uncontrolled that once the drought is over the lakes could rise even higher eventually spilling their banks and sending salt water from the Quill Lakes into Last Mountain Lake. Adding salt water to Last Mountain Lake would be devastating. Wetlands are important because they store water and prevent flooding and they fight climate change by storing carbon. Saskatchewan is the only Province in Canada that does not protect wetlands. SAWS encourages anyone concerned about wetland loss, the Quill Lakes flood, and the potential impacts to Last Mountain Lake to reach out to the new WSA Minister, the Honourable Jeremy Cockrill, and express their concerns.
-Media Release, Saskatchewan Alliance for Water Sustainability
