Up until Thursday, the Water Security Agency was weighing its options on a controversial water diversion project near Quill Lake.
The aim for the proposed project was to ease the risk that the saline Quill Lake will flood its banks during a high water year, and end up contaminating a number of fresh-water bodies in the area, a WSA representative said on Wednesday.
But on Thursday, Saskatchewan’s environment minister announced it was a “no go.”
Survey and design work were already underway for the water diversion project, as was the public consultation process. It was that feedback that convinced the minister to back off.
“It was the consultation process we did, with the people that attended the consultation meetings – the open house meetings. We did send out letters to 16 different First Nations in that area, had a response back from one. We will be sending out letters to them letting them know that this project is not going forward,” said Environment Minister Herb Cox.
Among those opposed was the Federation of Saskatchewan Indian Nations. Their big concern was contamination. While the diversion creek is designed to keep the lake from flooding during high water years there is also a chance the lake could overflow its banks, introducing the salt water to Kutawagan creek. That water would eventually flow into Last Mountain Lake.
Opposition critic Trent Wotherspoon says it was a bad idea right from the beginning.
“It was outrageous that government thought they could get away wtih this plan. Incredibly reckless, it was no fix to the problem at Quill Lakes. And it could have caused absolutely devastating, irreparable harm to Last Mountain Lake and the Qu’Appelle Watershed and all the lakes within it,” he said.
The environment minister says it is now back to square one to figure out the best way to prevent Quill Lake from flooding.