HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Citizen, 1993-11-03, Page 13THE CITIZEN, WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 3, 1993. PAGE 13.
Destruction of Hurricane Hazel remembered
Ontario was hit with the worst
natural disaster in its history 39
years ago this fall. Overnight on
Oct. 15, 1954, Hurricane Hazel
slammed into southern Ontario
unleashing heavy rains that led to
81 deaths, mostly flood related.
In the Maitland River watershed
the storm left four feet of water on
Main Street in Listowel and caused
widespread flooding in other areas.
However, local communities have
suffered through more serious local
floods. Floods in 1912, 1948, 1974,
1975 and 1977 were of greater
magnitude than Hurricane Hazel in
some areas of the watershed. '
"Fortunately, a lot of progress
has been made in preventing and
controlling flood problems" said
Dave Grummett of the Maitland
Valley Conservation Authority
(MVCA). ''If Ontario were hit
today with a storm like Hurricane
Hazel, there would be less risk to
life and less damage to property."
Since Hurricane Hazel, conserva-
tion authorities (CAs) have
succeeded in reducing flood
problems in Ontario through
programs of prevention and
control. In some areas flood control
structures such as dikes and darns
have been built. Flood contingency
planning as been developed by CAs
and flood warning has been
improved. Fewer homes and
businesses are located in the flood
plain because CAs have regulated
new development in flood prone
areas and purchased flood plain
lands. Roads and bridges in flood
plains are constructed to withstand
flooding. All of these measures
have reduced potential flood
damage.
The MVCA was established to
help deal with serious flooding
problems. Like most CAs, it has
completed a number of flood
control projects and provided
services to reduce flood risks in
many municipalities. The Listowel
Flood Control Project has greatly
reduced the risk of flooding to 130
buildings. In Lower Town
Wingham 19 seriously floodprone
properties were purchased through
the Turnberry Flood Plain
Acquisition Program. MVCA's
flood warning system alerts
municipalities to rising water levels
and potential floods. The MVCA
also prepares flood plain mapping
and assists municipalities in
developing land use plans to
regulate new development in flood
prone areas.
"Conservation authorities have
been successful to date in reducing
flood risks," said Ross Duncan,
MVCA general manager.
"However, provincial funding cuts
have put pressure on conservation
authorities' flood control efforts. It
must be impressed - on the
provincial government that while
we understand the need for
financial restraint, essential
services such as flood control and
prevention should not be put at
risk."
Earlier this year, the province
reduced grants to conservation
authorities by 22 per cent.
Ontario's conservation authorities
are locally-based environmental
protection agencies that operate and
maintain some 220 dams and
500,000 metres of flood control
works. They also undertake
preventative watershed planning
and environmentally-sound re-
source management.
RIDE SOH. RIDE SHER
Your support at the polls is
incerely appreciated. It
reinforces my commitment to
represent all constituents in the
riding of Huron-Bruce to the
best of my ability
:ongratulations to the other
andidates for making sure the
ampaign was one of honesty
and integrity.
Environmentally friendly
Tim Prior of RR 3 Brussels, shows the ease of operation of his new Tumblewheel fencing.
The system divides a field into smaller plots and allows the farmer better contol over the
grazing habits of his herd and more maintenance of the pasture.
If you wish to contact me, please call
524-6938 or 1-800-465-1726 ~.
Local man tests
new grazing system
An innovative form of cattle
grazing will be marking the end of
its first year this September on a
farm just east of Brussels.
Tim Prior of RR 3 Brussels has
been conducting controlled grazing
research on a 4.5 acre plot with
nine limousin cross steers.
The cattle were placed on the
plot from April 28 to Sept. 26 and
grazed through a 30 day rotation,
one to two days on each paddock.
The paddocks are visually
inspected each day to decide if the
cattle should be moved. This helps
prevent over or undergrazing, Mr.
Prior says.
By keeping the cattle in small
paddocks, the animals trample less
grass, walk less, waste less energy
and are easier to handle.
The perimeters of Mr. Prior's plot
are a four strand Insultimber fence
and paddocks are changed by using
the Tumblewheel fence.
"The dividing sections of fence
move easily and fast as ,the large
wheels roll forward between the
outer fencing to allow the cattle
into a new section," Mr. Prior said.
With little shade in the pasture,
the manure is distributed more
evenly over the field instead of in
gathering areas.
Mr. Prior says the controlled
grazing also allowed the earthworm
population to recover from years of
cropping and heavy tillage meth-
ods.
The controlled rotation allows
the pasture to recover with new
lush, fresh growth before the next
feeding, he says.
In its first year of operation, the
pasture research showed a profit of
$275.01 per acre, he said, while on
average, the cattle gained 322 lbs.
per head or 2.12 lbs. per day.
With the cattle sales, the gross
profit per acre is $499.45 and
expenses are $224.44 per acre.
Mr. Prior says his controlled
grazing research works in conjunc-
tion with the government's CURB
program to try to keep livestock
away from waterways.
He says, he is trying to show
farmers that restricting the area
over which the cattle graze does not
have to reduce production. "Profits
can still be seen without risking
further damage to the environ-
ment."
APPLICATIONS
FOR VOLUNTEERS TO SERVE
AS MEMBERS OF A
DISTRICT HEALTH COUNCIL
will be received bythe undersigned.
District Health Councils are local health planning bodies established to provide
advice to the Minister of Health on the health service needs of their communi-
ties. The goal of each DHC is to plan and develop a comprehensive health sys-
tem for the citizens it represents, designed to make the best possible use of
available and potential resources.
Volunteers will possess skills in participatory decision-making, demonstrate an
enthusiasm for planning a healthy community and be able to devote approxi-
mately 12 hours per month to the position.
The members of council are chosen to represent a balance of:
1. Providers who are involved in the governance, management, or delivery of
health or health-related social services, or
Persons trained as health professionals or para-professionals; and
2. Consumers with an interest in our local health system, but who are not
involved in the actual delivery of health or health-related social services; and
3. Representatives of local government.
Individuals interested in serving on the District Health Council and able to
devote sufficient time and energy are invited to submit a resume to:
Huron County District Health Council Steering Committee
c/o Shirley Hazlitt, Chair, Hearing Committee
R.R. #4, Goderich, Ontario N7A 3Y1
You can ick;e a lot
moire-than_-6,xiricteriecre
oripking adiid chiving.