Under the Province of Alberta’s proposed flood strategies, new developments in areas listed as floodways, according to Alberta Environment and Sustainable Resource Development, would be banned. Large sections of Drumheller fall under the floodways, which would severely limit any development in town.

    In the wake of the devastation wrought by the flooding in Southern Alberta, the provincial government is outlining plans to help prevent similar catastrophic damage in the future.
    Proposals are aimed at helping home owners rebuild or even relocate their homes, and bolster their flood mitigation structures.
    However, there is one proposal which could have drastic repercussions for Drumheller. The provincial government plan calls for a ban on any new developments in all existing floodways in Alberta.
    For Drumheller, where the idyllic badlands limit the amount of usable space, the proposal could stall or even outright stop further development.
    “It’ll eliminate it in some areas. It’s a grave concern for the town. We’ve contacted the people responsible for it and explained the situation and what it could mean for the development and future of Drumheller,” said Mayor Terry Yemen.    “They’ve given nothing more than an assurance that they will review the document.”
  Areas falling under the floodway, according to Alberta Environment and Sustainable
Resource Development, include Nacmine, Midland, Newcastle, North Drumheller, around the Badlands Community Facility (BCF), Riverside, Rosedale, Lehigh, and East Coulee.
  Conceivably any development in the fl oodway, such as phase 2 of the BCF would be prohibited.
  Floodways are defined as being the natural fl ow of water during a 1-in-100 year flood
event, something that Drumheller has experienced twice in under a decade.
 “They’re talking about natural flows, but we’re saying you need to factor in the Dickson
Dam for flood mitigation. When it’s factored in, it reduces the flow and takes a lot of the pink (floodways) off the map,” said Yemen.
  After the 2005 flood, the Town of Drumheller undertook a massive flood mitigation effort, the fruits of which saved many areas of town during the flood one month ago.
  “If they give us some funding, we can mitigate a lot more of Drumheller, like the dike in Newcastle and in Rosedale,” said Yemen.
  “We don’t want to put anyone in peril, but it’s critical the province has to factor in the dam and bring down their numbers to what we’re used to dealing with.”
  For the time being, the Town continues to lobby the province to review the situation in Drumheller. No indication was given as to how long the province’s review would take.
  To view the Alberta floodways in Alberta, visit www.envinfo.gov.ab.ca/floodhazard.
  “All the issues, such as development and property values, is a big concern for the Town. We’re land-challenged anyway, so if you take off a large chunk of our real estate, we’re going to be a community of 8,000 for a lot of years,” said Yemen. “The numbers they are using are just not acceptable. It’s too damning. Hopefully, common sense will prevail.”

James (left) and Stephanie Richmond were presented with the Century Farm and Ranch Award by Minister of Environment and Sustainable Resource Development the Hon. Diana McQueen and MLA Red Deer-North Mary Anne Jablosky.

    Families from across Alberta were recognized at a special ceremony in Red Deer on July 17 for operating Century Farms and Ranches in Alberta.
    “This is for farms that have been on the same piece of land and have stayed with one family, generation to generation, for 100 years. It’s a pretty big accomplishment,” said Lorraine Lynch, communications with Alberta Agriculture and Rural Development.
    Three families from the Drumheller area were awarded; James and Stephanie Richmond from Rumsey, Thomas and Carol Hampton from Rowley, and Brian and Debbie Fraser of Delia. Robert and Helen Elliot of Carbon and Day and Tim Lenfesty of Craigmyle, though not present at the ceremony, were recognized.

Brian (left) and Debbie Fraser were presented with the Century Farm and Ranch Award by Minister of Environment and Sustainable Resource Development the Hon. Diana McQueen and MLA Red Deer-North Mary Anne Jablosky in Red Deer on July 17.

    “It was quite a nice honour. It was nice to go and sit with the other families, listen to their stories, talk about the hardships they had 100 years ago, and what it would take to leave your homeland and start with nothing. When they tell the stories, it’s not the hardships they talk about, it’s all the good times, like the community and living off the land,” said Stephanie Richmond.
    Thomas Hampton, who owns land near Rowley, was glad to be recognized as well.
    “It’s quite an honour. Not everyone makes it to 100 years,” said Hampton.
    In 1912, James Richmond’s great grandfather purchased a preemption quarter near Rumsey that would be passed down through the generations to James.
    “They purchased a preemption quarter, which is what Jim and myself own,” said Stephanie. “It’s always been a mixed farm, with cattle and grain. Over the last forty years, we’ve taken it to purebred cattle.”
    The Hampton farm celebrated its centennial on September 4 last year. The farm was started when Hampton’s grandparents moved to Alberta from Virginia.
    “My grandparents left Virginia in April 1904 and moved to Innisfail. They had six sons and two daughters. My dad was six weeks old at the time. By 1910, two of the oldest boys had homesteaded by Huxley and Rowley. My grandfather realized there was more land east of Rowley, so he went to Calgary and filed on the homestead in September 1912,” said Hampton.

Carol (left) and Thomas Hampton, Tammy Gittner receive their Century Farm and Ranch Award from Minister of Environment and Sustainable Resource Development the Hon. Diana McQueen and MLA Red Deer-North Mary Anne Jablosky.

    Hampton’s father purchased the farm after his parents died in 1944, and farmed it until 1964.
    “Him and one of his brothers farmed it until they were worn out, then I took over. It was about 1964 when I was working full time there,” said Hampton.
    For each farm, the next generation is set to take over and keep things in the family.
    “We have two girls, Cynthia and Samantha, and they will be the fifth generation on the same preemption quarter,” said Stephanie.
    The Hampton’s sons largely run the farm now.
    “Our two sons are still involved on the farm. One handles the farming and the other runs the cattle,” said Hampton. “It’s been our dream to keep the farm in the family as long as we can.”
    Since starting in 1993, 1,440 families across Alberta have been awarded as Century Farms and Ranches. Each family, including the Richmond’s, Hampton’s, and Fraser’s will received a brass plaque for their home.