Many property owners in the Duncairn Dam area have become concerned about their property values as talks about irrigation expansion continue.
The Duncairn Dam Irrigation Project, as members from the Homeowners of Duncairn Dam Association explained, seeks an additional 4,000 acres of irrigation to be supplied by the reservoir, in addition to the 16000 already allocated.
Co-Chairs Dwight Lemon and Denise Martinez explained that, while other parties insist it will be without consequence, such an expansion will be devastating to the local property owners, recreation, and the Dam’s environment.
Lemon said, “According to studies done by the Water Security Agency (WSA), the conservation drawdown limit will be reached one out of every two years. Once that limit is reached, there will only be 38% of the water left in the reservoir. This will leave Rock Ridge, Carefree Park, and Ferguson Bay with little, if any, water. Our property values will be non-existent. It will kill Reid Lake recreation.”
He continued, “And it’ll affect wildlife and fish to a large extent. According to a source from the WSA, it will have a devastating effect on the fisheries. We asked WSA what they were going to do with their fisheries when it collapsed and they said, ‘Well, we'll just restock.’”
The current irrigation allotment, according to Martinez, is already hurting the reservoir: “The reservoir was sitting at 28 centimetres above full capacity, which has only led to significant erosion along the shoreline.”
As these plans continue to unfold, Lemon and Martinez expressed that their concerns are being ignored:
“The common theme we hear all the time,” said Lemon, “is, ‘that’s what Duncairn Damn was developed for,’ was for irrigation. But where we stand – that’s what it’s doing already; it’s doing what it was developed to do, based on the operating limit established in 1981.” A limit that’s already outdated, even without possible expansion.
He continued, “Any further irrigation needs to have at least a five-year study done on it. So that the government, WSA, and property owners can actually feel good and be informed about the decision being made.”
As of this interview, The Homeowners of Duncairn Damn have been denied any conversation with the Government, the local MLA, or the Ag Minister to discuss their concerns or come to a compromise.
Lemon added that their opposition to the project isn’t just about losing their property, or the investments they’ve made, but about the community that has grown over the decades.
“There’s a family in Ferguson who have been there for four generations,” he said. “Ourselves, we’ve been here for 14 years. The people who live here have built this area into something that matters, a place for their families to spend time together and cherish the lives they’ve created here. The hundreds of people that come from miles away to use the lake for recreation.”
Moving forward, Lemon, Martinez, and other property owners in the area simply wish to have their voices heard.
Lemon said, “We just hope the government will do the proper assessments and look at the risk seriously. I believe they have to begin by monitoring their existing irrigation closely, and controlling the amount of water being used. Plus, the current irrigation channels are leaking – the infrastructure needs to be upgraded, too. It's got to be actually held to a standard. And once you do that, then let's start talking about some of the expansion of irrigation.”
He ended with, “By actually measuring and monitoring and fixing the existing cracks in the system, they might find they have even more than they know they're working with.”
If you’re interested in learning more about the Duncairn Dam Irrigation Project and its possible risks, you can contact the Homeowners of Duncairn Dam through their Facebook page or the Rock Ridge RV Resort page.