Excessive rainfall causing overland flooding west of Edmonton has led Lac Ste. Anne County to declare an agriculture state of emergency.

On Thursday, August 1, the county hired a helicopter to survey affected farmland.

The County says flooding is not due to beaver dams or the Alberta Environment managed weir at the mouth of Sturgeon River as some speculated, just heavy rainfall.

"The volume and frequency of precipitation in 2019 has caused incorrigible damage to the crops within the municipality", the County said in a statement on their website. "High humidity and the inability to access water logged fields have severely limited the amount feed harvested to this point, with no forecasted change in sight."

It adds, this is the third consecutive year they've battled with flooding, including areas where it has not historically been an issue.

Meantime, Alberta's NDP Agriculture and Forestry Critic, Lorne Dach, is calling on Ag Minister, Devin Dreeshen, to act immediately to help the community deal with this state of emergency.

In a release from the NDP, they say flooding has resulted in damaged fields, county infrastructure and landowner properties, and has impacted almost all crops in the municipality.

“It is critical that all agricultural producers know that their government has their back during a crisis like this,” said Dach.

The release goes on to say, "Livestock need feed, and producers need a plan from this government to manage this emergency."

 

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