Hon. Glen Cummings (Minister of Natural Resources): I have a statement for the House, Madam Speaker.

The Souris River watershed received another drenching last Friday, on Friday evening and Saturday, with another 25 to 35 millimetres of rain over most of the area with the heaviest rainfall in the Melita and the Napinka areas. The rain has worsened flooding conditions throughout most of the watershed with the Souris River rising close to crests observed in mid-April. The river will again become a mile or so wide from the U.S. boundary to about Hartney.

Crests are expected in the Melita area this coming weekend with more downstream locations to crest around May 24. This is based on normal weather conditions from now on. Environment Canada is forecasting drier weather for the coming week.

An additional concern is that heavy rain has caused extensive flooding of fields as soils are becoming waterlogged, and virtually all low areas have become small lakes. The flooding situation on agricultural lands away from the river is worse than it was in April. Significant rises are occurring and will exceed bank-full capacity in lower areas. Some smaller drains have crested. Larger tributaries such as the Antler River will crest at or above flood stage near the middle of this week. It will likely be early June before the Souris River will return to its banks, and it will be mid-June before low-lying lands in the Coulter area will become workable.

In other areas, rainfall is also heavy in the Assiniboine River watershed, particularly from St. Lazare to Brandon. Near bank-full conditions are expected in the region for the next week or so. Rainfall is significant over the Pembina River watershed and will result in higher levels and a longer duration of flooding in this area. So we can hope that the outlook for warmer, drier weather holds, or we are seeing a continuing bad situation for the farmers in this area.

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Mr. Stan Struthers (Dauphin): Madam Speaker, I thank the minister for bringing forth this update on flood conditions, particularly in the southwest and western part of our province. I join, too, with him in offering our best hopes for the people living along the Souris, Assiniboine and the Pembina rivers watersheds in their efforts to fight the flood. I want to pay particular attention to farmers in those areas who are right now experiencing difficulty in planting their crops. We know how important agriculture is to this part of the province, so we hope that the conditions that they are experiencing now do not last for a long time and that Mother Nature changes her mind and provides a little bit of sunshine and a little bit of a breeze to dry conditions in this area.

I also want to pay attention to the local flood fighters in these communities who are battling the forces of nature and trying to protect their farms and their homes and their communities. It is our hope as well, once the flood conditions subside, that the provincial government will work co-operatively with local rural municipalities and town councils in the flood fighting effort and also in compensation and reimbursement of equipment that will be used in the attempts to contain the floods.

So with that, Madam Speaker, from this side of the House we wish the people of these watersheds all the best and look forward to the time when the farmers can get out and do their seeding and contribute to the economy of that part of the area and sustain their own livelihoods.

Thank you, Madam Speaker.