1. Water, Water, Everywhere Actions needed to mitigate Future flooding in Manitoba & Saskatchewan Presentation by Jordan Morningstar Councillor for RM of Brenda, Ward 1

2. Three Primary Concerns Public Safety Economic Environmental

3. Public Safety Access to ALL towns, villages, and occupied farm yards MUST be maintained. If an emergency happens during a flood and EMT services cannot reach the person, they are as good as dead. One person drowned in this year's flood, how many in the next flood?

4. Economic Cost to store water on farmlands is borne completely by the farmer Farmers paid for the land, they pay tax on the land and interest on the mortgage, no matter how much water is on top of it.

5. Economic If people in larger centres want to be protected from flood waters, they should be the ones paying to be protected. Therefore, the government needs to pay rent on the land that has been used for Flood Mitigation for the larger centres.

6. Economic Reducing the losses from flooding is a good thing, BUT: Forcing farmers and rural residents to shoulder the extra water (and loss) without compensation creates a two-tier society where certain Manitoba residents are “worthy” of flood protection, and certain residents are not.

7. Environmental Wetlands are a good thing Creating habitat that supports biodiversity is a good thing Allowing farmers and rural people to help the process is a good thing.

8. Environmental Using farmland as water storage to protect the urban centres from flooding and passing it off as “wetlands” is a bad thing. Displacement of land & habitat as shorelines change shape and size Hundreds of thousands of dead trees along rivers and sloughs. Aquatic wildlife carried out of lakes & dams by floodwaters into unsuitable habitats.

9. Solutions First solution: DON'T BLAME THE FARMERS! We didn't cause the rain to fall, we shouldn't be punished for it.

10. Solutions Second Solution: Do not force rural communities, individuals, and municipalities to shoulder the cost of flood mitigation “for the greater good.” If people downstream want protection and wetlands, they should pay for protection and wetlands.

11. Solutions Third Solution: Accept Local Input We are the ones living here, we are the ones who know where the water goes and how it acts