Flash flooding hits Fisher Branch farms

Floods, seeding deadlines bring an end to seeding in many fields

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Published: June 23, 2022

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A field near the Abas family farm had been seeded to oats hours before it flooded.

[UPDATED: June 27, 2022] Farmers near Fisher Branch found fields and roads under water after the area got more than seven inches of rain on Tuesday, June 21.

“It’s definitely what you’d call a flash flood,” said Jamal Abas, whose family farms north of Fisher Branch at Hodgson.

Environment Canada data shows 187 mm (over seven inches) of rain fell at Fisher Branch on June 21. 

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Manitoba agriculture data shows 64 mm (2.5 inches) at nearby Fisherton and 57 mm to the southwest at Eriksdale.

Abas said they’d made a mad dash to seed fields around their yard with oats only to have them swamped hours later.

“I don’t know what’s going to grow,” he said.

This comes after an already rain-soaked spring. 

Jeff Plett, who farms southwest of Fisher Branch, said he’d seeded about 20 per cent of his fields by June 11. The downpour put most of that under water, though by June 23 he said much of that water had run off.

Some crops had emerged and may survive, Plett said.

Water also pooled in some of his pasture —a t one point rising as high as the top of the barbed wire, Plett said.


[VIDEO] The main road in and out of the Tanchak farm was washing out on June 25, 2022. Tanchak’s farm is located south of Fisherton and  west of Fisher Branch. Video: Garry Tanchak

This marks the end of seeding for him, Plett said. All major crop insurance deadlines are passed.

Plett, who also raises beef cattle, said he’s considering planting some greenfeed.

Abas said they were also unable to finish seeding, though greenfeed might also be a possibility. His family also raises cattle.

Jeff Plett’s flooded fields. photo: Jeff Plett

Continually wet soils hampered seeding in the Interlake before rain brought it to a final stop, the June 21 provincial crop report says. This was worst along both sides of Lake Manitoba, into the Fisher Branch and Fisherton areas, and towards Arborg.

MASC has seen a “substantial number” of seeded acreage reports filed because of wet conditions, included in the Interlake said chief product officer David van Deynze.

A field near the Abas family farm had been seeded to oats hours before it flooded. photo: Jamal Abas

MASC is prioritizing excess moisture insurance (EMI) claims, van Deynze added. 

Some growers are sourcing alternative crop or forage seeds, the crop report said.

Others are turning to growing forage for seed said Paul Gregory, who owns Interlake Forage Seeds at Fisher Branch. 

“Our own forage seed company has seen more contracting in the last two weeks than all winter,” he said.

*Update: The article was updated to include photos and video of the Tanchak farm.

About the author

Geralyn Wichers

Geralyn Wichers

Digital editor, news and national affairs

Geralyn graduated from Red River College's Creative Communications program in 2019 and launched directly into agricultural journalism with the Manitoba Co-operator. Her enterprising, colourful reporting has earned awards such as the Dick Beamish award for current affairs feature writing and a Canadian Online Publishing Award, and in 2023 she represented Canada in the International Federation of Agricultural Journalists' Alltech Young Leaders Program. Geralyn is a co-host of the Armchair Anabaptist podcast, cat lover, and thrift store connoisseur.

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