Vale Island residents are calling on leaders of all levels of government to attend a meeting next month to address ongoing flooding questions in their neighbourhood.

Lakeshore Drive residents Beatrice Lepine and Jane Groenewegen sent a letter on Aug. 13 to leading Town of Hay River officials, both Hay River MLAs, leaders of local Indigenous governments, GNWT and federal department officials as well as NWT MP Michael McLeod, calling at attend a meeting to answer how the heavy amounts of water are being managed.

SA国际影视传媒淵our attendance is requested at a meeting on Sept. 8, 2021 at 6:30 p.m. at Soaring Eagle Friendship Centre main hall, to discuss the unprecedented drainage issues currently being experienced at Vale Island,SA国际影视传媒� states the letter.

SA国际影视传媒淭here are several properties in Old Town and West Channel that have serious flooding issues from ground water and many more properties with very wet yards.SA国际影视传媒�

The letter follows a community meeting held on Aug. 12 with about 10 neighbours at the Hay River Public Beach who were discussing plans and ways to invite government officials to address drainage issues on the island.

The letter contains several pressing questions to town officials on what work has been done in recent years to address drainage issues in the area, the GNWT Department of InfrastructureSA国际影视传媒檚 role and responsibility of investing in ditch work along the Mackenzie Highway, potential problems that may exist with beaver ponding by the GNWT Department of Environment and Natural Resources, and what analysis and funding is available.

Lepine, a former town councillor, resource management careerist and lifelong resident echoed the sentiments that people in the area have told the Hub in recent weeks.

SA国际影视传媒淚SA国际影视传媒檓 a resident on the island and I have lived here all of my life. Almost 70 years,SA国际影视传媒� she said. SA国际影视传媒淟ongtime residents have never seen anything like this before.SA国际影视传媒�

Lepine said she doesnSA国际影视传媒檛 think there is enough proper oversight on how climate change is causing long-term problems that are not only being seen on the island, but other communities outside the region too.

SA国际影视传媒淚SA国际影视传媒檝e been researching the GNWT and seeing who is paying attention to (climate change) and because climate change is broken up in different departments, there is not real oversight on the landscape.SA国际影视传媒�

For the municipalitySA国际影视传媒檚 part, Lepine said she wants to see the town do more, too, including hiring a hydrologist.

SA国际影视传媒淭here is not really an effort to see what is going on,SA国际影视传媒� she said. SA国际影视传媒淪o with this meeting, we want to alert leadership to the larger hydrological processes going on and that we have a real problem going on that the town needs to address.SA国际影视传媒�

But the town and GNWT departments say they are keenly aware of the situation and have been working to address flooding since the spring.

Glenn Smith, senior administrative officer has said in recent weeks that the town has been working to address excess water on Vale Island that has included high lake levels, standing water and ground water which have led to drainage problems.

Mike Westwick, spokesperson with the Department of Environment and Natural Resources said that department has been in constant contact with the municipality.

SA国际影视传媒淭he Town has been issued all necessary permits from the GNWT to remove any obstructing beaver dams, do any necessary trapping, and complete water diversion work within the municipalitySA国际影视传媒檚 boundaries, as necessary,SA国际影视传媒� he said in a July 29 email.

SA国际影视传媒淲e have been in regular communication and have provided advice on dealing with any potential environmental concerns in the area.SA国际影视传媒�

Westwick said that the department has also completed an aerial drone survey along Oxbow Channel and affected areas on Vale Island.

SA国际影视传媒淲e are providing this footage to help the municipality and other government agencies target their response efforts to control beaver dams in the area,SA国际影视传媒� he said.

He added that the island and neighbourhood are always considered to be vulnerable to high water levels as well.

SA国际影视传媒滻t is currently very saturated, leaving the accumulating water with very few drainage options,SA国际影视传媒� he said. SA国际影视传媒淭his is to be expected in a season where extremely high water levels have been seen throughout many of the NWTSA国际影视传媒檚 basins.SA国际影视传媒�