Lamont County Applies to Province for Disaster Relief

Lamont County Applies to Province for Disaster Relief

Michelle Pinon News Advertiser

Lamont County is applying for disaster relief to the Alberta Emergency Management Agency.

The municipality will be filing two separate applications, one is for flooding which occurred between April 14 and May 5, and the other one for flooding which occurred between June 8 and June 15. Even though affected property owners cannot apply for disaster relief program funding until Lamont County’s applications have been approved, the county is encouraging ratepayers to begin the process as soon as possible in order to speed up the application process once it’s opened.

As posted on the county’s website, “After a disaster, Lamont County can apply for a Disaster Recovery Program (DRP). If the application is approved, Lamont County will notify the public immediately; affected residents will have 90 days (after program approval) to apply for financial assistance.”

The 2018 Flood Disaster Recovery Application ($1.2M) was prepared in September/October, reviewed, and forwarded to Province. On February 4, 2020, the County received $34,000 which is 50% of the Emergency Operations Cost Project. The Province stated they are still reviewing the submission.”

On June 10, 2020, during a Special Meeting of Council, a State of Agricultural Disaster was declared for Lamont County. On June 8, 2020, Lamont County Council declared a State of Local Emergency (SOLE) due to overland flooding and drainage issues.

Public works has reported 18 closed roads, and 19 opened roads as of Aug. 20. The number one priority for road repairs is to make sure closed roads are opened and school bus routes are serviceable for bus traffic. Over 2,000 culvert sites, (not including approach/ driveway culverts) have been inspected by a consultant and different problems have been identified. Many are plugged with debris or require a larger size culvert.

Lamont County CAO Stephen Hill said, “Lamont County has experienced severe flooding during the spring melt of 2020 as this moisture volume was on top of the frozen fall moisture levels of 2019. A disaster recovery application has been made for infrastructure repairs in the amount of $995,000. In addition to this, the extensive rainfall has added to the flooding conditions and additional works that continue to date. A second disaster recovery application has been submitted in the amount of $2,000,000.

Lamont County has supplemented our workforce with the use of contractor services to aid in the drainage and road repairs. In addition to the funds spent on spring flood repairs the County Council has approved $900,000 in capital funding towards ensuring that we have functional roads for the planned School Bus Routing requirements of Elk Island School District and for fall harvesting.

Lamont County completed an extensive site review with representatives from Alberta Environment & Parks, (AEP) to emphasis the extensive and complex problems of providing appropriate drainage and road rehabilitation, AEP will provide the County assistance with expedited reviews of applications required under the Water Act to aid in the various works.

It was brought to our attention though that some of the roads still flooded may have to be left as are, these roads do cross through natural water bodies and are not easily going to be drained. AEP has provided some ideas for partial lowering of water levels to exposed the road structure or to allow for road reconstruction to raise the road surface if it can be accomplished within the road right of way. There will be roads that simply will not be able to be opened this year as the extent of work required is not feasible to complete.”

Lamont County’s 2018 Flood Disaster Recovery Application ($1.2M) was prepared in September/October, reviewed, and forwarded to Province. On February 4, 2020, the County received $34,000 which is 50% of the Emergency Operations Cost Project. The Province stated they are still reviewing the submission.”