Premier Brad Wall told reporters on Saturday that he’s already spoken to Prime Minister Stephen Harper about getting advanced disaster assistance. Wall made the same request for $100 million dollars in advance relief that was done in 2011. “I’m pretty optimistic we’ll see some support there,” Wall said.

Wall also spoke to the scope of the flood and estimated the damage will go beyond the flood of 2011. He couldn’t speculate on the economic impacts of the flood, saying it was still too early to tell.

“The amount of water is remarkable, but even more remarkable is the response from the people,” Wall said.

Friday night, engineers from the Water Security Agency were on site at the rail embankment on Crooked Lake. Officials said the embankment is deteriorating, but hasn’t breached. Saturday, the province said the embankment has stabilized, and they expect it to be able to handle the water as it drains through the basin.

The province’s commissioner of emergency mangagement, Duane McKay, said the government is monitoring the water across the province, but their focus remains on the Crooked Lake, Round Lake, and Last Mountain Lake areas.

McKay said in some areas efforts have moved from mitigation to recovery. The province has set up a regional recovery center in Melville. One is scheduled to open in Carnduff from July 8th to 11th, and another will open in the Yorkton area once water levels go down.

The centers are for anyone looking for resources after being hit by flood damage. The center in Melville opened on Friday and has already had approximately 200 visitors.

Some roads are still being affected by the water. Highway 220 was closed Friday night because of water on the road. Provincial officials say no communities are currently without access, however, some are using back roads because the main highways have been damaged by the water.

The Highway Hotline opened the west bound lanes of Highway 1 west of Wolesley Saturday afternoon.

The Water Securtiy Agency is warning boaters to use caution on flooded lakes.

“Fast moving water, wind and wave action, and floating debris can create significant problems in flooded areas on both the water and the shoreline of the lakes,” the WSA said in a release, adding that it boating can also disrupt flood mitigation efforts put up by residents on the shorelines.

Besides putting property on land at risk, boating in flooded areas where debris can’t be seen under the surface can put boaters at risk.

Despite all the potential danger, Mckay said there have been no reported injuries because of the flooding.

Much of the province’s efforts are turning from mitigation to recovery. “Generally speaking, we’re feeling pretty good right now,” McKay said.

There are 79 communities under a local state of emergency. As of Saturday, the Town of Grenfell was no longer on that list.

 

Declarations of Local Emergency in effect:

Total: 79         Extended: 6     Terminated Declarations:  1

 

Community
 

Town of Carnduff

2.

RM of Storthoaks #31

3.

RM of Mount Pleasant #2 (extended)

4.

City of Yorkton (extended)

5.

City of Melville

6.

Town of Whitewood

7.

Town of Redvers

8.

Town of Fleming

9.

Town of Wolseley

10.

Town of Bredenbury

11.

Town of Watson

12.

Town of Lemberg

13.

Town of Springside

14.

Town of Churchbridge

15.

Town of Balcarres

16.

Town of Saltcoates

17.

Village of Gainsborough (extended)

18.

Village of Alida

19.

Village of Stockholm

20.

Village of Carievale

21.

Village of Spy Hill

22.

Village of Quill Lake

23.

Village of Elfros

24.

RM of Martin #122

25.

RM of Moosomin #121

26.

RM of Rocanville #151

27.

RM of Antler #61

28.

RM of Argyle #1 (extended)

29.

RM of Reciprocity #32

30.

RM of Fertile Belt #183

31.

RM of Spy Hill #152

32.

FN Star Blanket Cree Nation

33.

Town of Wawota

34.

Town of Regina Beach

35.

Village of Abernathy

36.

Village of Bangor

37.

Village of Silton

38.

Village of Calder

39.

Village of Storthoaks (extended)

40.

RM of Grayson #184

41.

RM of Porcupine Plain #395

42.

RM of Garry # 245

43.

RM of Tullymet #216

44.

RM of Langenburg #181

45.

RM of Good Lake #274

46.

RM of Foam Lake #276 (extended)

47.

RM of Abernethy

48.

RM of Kingsley #124

49.

FN Ochapowace

50.

FN Peepeekisis

51.

FN Kawacatoose

52.

RM of Elfros #307

53.

RM of Ituna Bon Accord #246

54.

Village of Tantallon

55.

RM of Humboldt #55

56.

Village of Hubbard

57.

FN Little Black Bear

58.

Village of Goodeve

59.

Resort Village of Etters Beach

60.

RM of Saltcoats  #213

61.

Village of Grayson

62.

RM of Kelvington #366

63.

Village of Liberty

64.

RM of Big Arm #251

65.

Town of Langenburg

66.

RM of Orkney #244

67.

FN Cowessess #73

68.

RM of Walpole #92

69.

RM of McKillop #220

70.

Resort Village of Wee Too Beach

71.

Village of Dubuc

72.

Village of Neudorf

73.

RM of McLeod #185

74.

RM of Last Mountain Valley #250

75.

RM of Morris #312

76.

RM of Lakeside #338

77.

RM of Wallace #243

78.

Resort Village of Alice Beach

79.

Resort Village of Bird’s Point

 

 Terminated declarations:

1.

Town of Grenfell