RECORD EDITORIAL REGARDING FUTURE FLOODING

On July 11/13 the Waterloo Region Record published their own Editorial titled "Get ready now for the big flood". That Editorial spelled out the likelihood as to what is coming down the pike not just for Waterloo Region but also the rest of Canada. Melting glaciers and ice caps due to global warming are putting more moisture into the air which ends up as rainfall somewhere. that somewhere includes Canada. In theory any city or town even hundreds of miles from large bodies of surface water can be flooded if more rain comes down then the storm sewers and natural topography can drain away quickly. here in waterloo region the bulk of storm water ends up in local creeks and storm drains and then discharges into the Grand, the Conestogo, the Nith and the Speed Rivers.

Yes development planning and larger floodplain areas will help the situation. So will common sense. Over twenty years ago my wife and I were looking to buy a corner store and start our own business. As soon as Betty advised me of a store in West Montrose I knew that one along the river with young children at the time was not in the cards. We did buy but the store was 100 yards away and more importantly at least thirty-five feet higher than the current high water mark in the Grand at that time. Municipal Councillors, developers and buyers MUST not build and buy homes only a few feet higher than current flood levels. Those levels will be surpassed.

The Record also appropriately advises homeowners of steps that they can take to reduce flooding in their basements. These also are commonsense but need to be taken before the floods come.