Still on a slippery slope
Nearly six months after a natural gas explosion destroyed a home and several other buildings, Regina Beach residents got a chance to find out what the town and other government agencies are doing to prevent a similar event.
On Saturday, Mayor Cameron Hart told a packed room of more than 100 residents at Memorial Hall that it was the highest turnout he has seen at a ratepayers meeting in 20 years.
For two hours, residents got updates from Sask Energy, Sask Power, the town’s public works department, the Water Security Agency and other government agencies. Then, residents got the opportunity to ask the panel questions.
The majority of the meeting involved a presentation by Allen Kelly, a senior geotechnical engineer with Clifton Associates. He gave residents an overview of the landslide dynamics in Regina Beach as well as tips on how to manage the situation.
But he was clear that shifting ground and the potential for landslides are something the residents living around Last Mountain Lake are going to have to deal with.
“You can’t fix it ... You can only manage the risk,” he said. “These landslides have been here for 12,000 years. They will continue to be here (for) 12,000 years.”
Kelly explained that the town rests on a slope on top of a shallow bed of shale. Soil near the bottom of the slope supports the ground above; so, if the shoreline becomes unstable, a landslide could occur.
Also, excess water — either from high levels of groundwater, surface water, water main breaks or heavy rain — acts as a lubricant for unstable soil and feeds landslides, he said.
Kelly advised residents against excessive lawn watering and removing vegetation that absorbs water. He also warned about erosion and development that disturbs soil near the shoreline.
Claude Seguin, the town’s manager of public works, advised residents that he hopes to have a storm water management plan in place by the fall. However, residents with critical drainage issues can contact the town.
For Audrey Vierling, the condition of her property needs to be taken care of immediately.
Three years ago, Vierling and her husband redeveloped a property that mostly sits on a gully with the town’s approval. However, standing water has accumulated on the land, which she suspects came from residents pumping water higher up on the slope.
Land near the gully on the west side of her property is eroding. To fix the issue and drain the gully would cost $50,000. Vierling has been discussing the matter with the town, but to date, nothing has been done, she said.
“The toe of the gully has lost about ... four to six feet in the last year. And, if that toe goes, our (brand-new) cottage will be in the gully,” said Vierling. “It is scary.”
After the meeting, Dave Burdeniuk, Sask Energy spokesman, said the shifting ground and potential for landslides is making it unsafe for some customers to continue with natural gas.
He said that within in the next two to three weeks, Sask Energy may be permanently disconnecting service to dozens of customers and helping them with partial costs of switching to other forms of energy, such as propane or electric heat.
“We are seeing continued movement in certain zones. If that stabilizes and stops, then we won’t have to do this. But, it’s not stopping,” Burdeniuk said Saturday.
“We have 12 customers already that are being temporarily served by aboveground gas lines. Probably another 12 or so in just isolated pockets around the town we’re seeing continued movement.”
If the decision is to disconnect, affected customers will be notified that it could happen by the end of July or early August.