RM of Emerson-Franklin, Stuartburn ask province to fix eroding Vita Drain

Two southeastern Manitoba municipalities have asked the province to fix a drain, after heavy rainfall last year caused flooding and erosion to roadways.

The Rural Municipality of Emerson-Franklin sent a letter to the transportation and infrastructure minister last month in hopes of getting the Vita Drain, along Road 12N from Paradise Road to Road 30E, reinforced or moved. The RM of Stuartburn also supported the measure.

“You can see the banks eroding, and it’s becoming a concern. There is a roadway that runs parallel to the drain, and we’re just worried about the bank becoming destabilized,” said Emerson-Franklin Reeve David Carlson.

The drain’s erosion has become a problem for both municipalities because it could mean the loss of the neighbouring road, creating a possible washout or the entire bank falling into the drain, he said.

Carlson labeled the project as a “big ticket item” because costs can rise quickly into the millions if the road has to be moved. While erosion has always been present with the drain, heavy rains in the last few years have caused the banks to recede faster, he said.

“All of a sudden you’ve got a surge of water coming down the drain and it’s just causing issues,” Carlson said.

No homes are at risk from the erosion, but several power lines could be affected if the bank falls into the drain, he said.

The Vita Drain funnels water into the Roseau River, which then feeds into the Red River. The province is responsible for maintaining the drains across Manitoba.

If the erosion isn’t addressed, it could close down the road, forcing people to take a roughly 30-minute detour. Carlson said the concerns about the drain were first made one year ago.

The province will be meeting with municipal officials and will be inspecting the drain in April, he said.

Stuartburn Reeve Michelle Gawronsky said the drain’s continued erosion would affect her entire municipality and flooding would happen more often.

She said homes in Sundown were flooded last October because the Vita Drain was clogged with debris and beaver dams. If the bank erodes completely, it could be worse for homes and for farmers’ fields.

“We need to ensure that the end of the drain is functional, that it has not collapsed in on itself, and it continues with the water flow into the Roseau River,” she said.

The erosion could put a bridge north of Stuartburn along Road 15N at risk because it would raise water levels and speed up the current as the water travels flows through its new route, she said.

“Anything that goes wrong with water for the Emerson-Franklin side will definitely have an effect on the RM of Stuartburn,” Gawronsky said.

“We work as partners in making sure water can flow properly.”

In a email statement to The Carillon, Transportation and Infrastructure Minister Lisa Naylor said the province is aware of the erosion concern and will work with both rural municipalities to assess the drain’s condition when the snow melts.