Cabin owners are growing increasingly anxious as waves continue to spill over the berm protecting residences at Meeting Lake. (Submitted photo/Tyler Walter)

By Josh Ryan

Waves building

Meeting Lake property owners concerned from overflow

Jun 1, 2020 | 6:05 PM

Residents and property owners at Meeting Lake Regional Park are waiting for answers as they and park staff work to protect residences from waves spilling over constructed barriers.

Since a berm was built more than five years ago, the water levels at Meeting Lake have continued to rise, to the point where water is right at the door of many residents. Park Manager Jim Cleghorn said it was a challenge trying to secure the berm over the weekend.

“We went through this last year and were hoping to not have to redo the berm,” Cleghorn said. “We spend money like this every year.”

Storms that began more than a week ago have already broken down some of the berms, with waves comprising the structures. A contractor had been brought in to work on reinforcing them, however, yesterday’s strong winds helped to undue any progress made.

“It came over the sandbags and started washing out all his work,” Cleghorn said. “So, he had to start rebuilding.”

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Tyler Walter, cabin owner and former park board member, said the inlet at King’s Lake had a floodgate for many years, thanks to a contract from Ducks Unlimited. Five years ago, the contract was up. The floodgate was replaced with a rock ledge, that holds the water up somewhat, but not to the extent of the floodgate.

“So, we increased the flow of inlet, but we haven’t increased the flow of outlet,” Walter said.

According to Walter, the Water Security Agency (WSA) has agreed to 50 per cent of the funding to build the berm up to 739 metres above sea level, allowing the lake to reach its natural high point. This means raising the berm up seven inches.

“Would give us a 16 inch grace period for the waves,” Walter said. “But it would also mean a six foot wall in my yard, where my kids and wife are sleeping. And if it would ever fail throughout the night, you got a six foot wall of water coming at you.”

One of the arguments for not creating a spillway out of Meeting Lake is that it would negatively impact farmland and other communities. However, property owners are growing increasingly concerned. Corrinne Kjargaard, whose parents are cabin owners there, said people are getting fed up.

“Their investment is at risk,” she said. “None of the cabin owners want to do damage to the farmers. But they also don’t want to lose their property.”

On Sunday, waves made their way into several properties. Kjargaard said there’s even more at risk than residences.

“If the water level gets to the cabins, gets to the septic tanks, it’s going to destroy the natural habitat in that lake,” she said. “And then no one can enjoy it.”

(Submitted photo/Meeting Lake Regional Park)

Marilyn Yasieniuk, Secretary for Meeting Lake Regional Park Authority, said they’ve been in close contact with the WSA and multiple government agencies in trying to navigate the situation.

“[We’re] trying to find a solution, dealing with Provincial Disaster Assistance Program (PDAP) and get funding.”

Having dealt with the situation over the past few years, finding the right fix, and the funding for it, is a challenge.

“This is going to be quite a large amount of money for berms,” Yasieniuk said. “And that’s the short term solution until something can be done with the Water Security Agency and the provincial government to provide a long term solution.”

The WSA did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

Editor’s note: this article was amended to make clear Tyler Walter is a former park board member not a current one.

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josh.ryan@jpbg.ca

On Twitter: @JoshRyanSports