43

Grazing land on Nick's Island.
1968
Nick's Island, west of Creston, BC

44

Nevertheless, most farmers were fairly successful, and new-comers were always willing to take the place of those who failed. The crops raised on the flats diversified, going from primarily wheat to grains such as flax and canola, and fodder crops including alfalfa and clover. Even mustard, lima beans, and hops were grown on the Creston flats at some point. Cattle, pastured on the flats since the first herds were brought into the Valley, were now being kept on the flats year-round.

45

Various newspaper reports concerning progress on the Libby Dam at Libby, Montana.
1970
Libby, Montana, USA

46

By the 1950s, another project was being put forward that promised to end the risk of flooding on the Creston flats. A pamphlet was published in 1966 pointing out that "flood waters have no respect for highways, farmlands, or factories. The Kootenai has a record of causing millions of dollars of damages by its many overflows through the years."

47

Duck Lake Reclamation officials reviewing plans for the project.
1950
Duck Lake, north of Creston, BC

48

Libby Dam in Montana was promoted as the solution to these problems. Planning for this project had begun in 1952, was terminated in 1954, then started again in 1961. The Columbia River Treaty of 1964 provided for the construction of four dams along the Kootenay-Columbia waterway, including the Libby Dam.

49

Work trestle for the Libby Dam.
5 April 1968
Libby, Montana, USA

50

Construction began on Libby Dam in 1966, and the dam went into full operations in 1975.

"I was the Canadian agricultural representative to the International Joint Commission during its hearings on water tables and the consequences of putting the Libby Dam in. We convinced them to monitor the ground water levels before and after Libby Dam went in, and they did. They determined that the water table went down after Libby went in, so there isn't as good ground irrigation. But not having to worry about the floods anymore, more than made up for that."
- Bill Piper

51

View of the Kootenay Flats after the Libby Dam was put into place.
1970
Creston Valley, BC

52

"Years ago, not many people lived on the flats. You look out the window now, and you'll see houses everywhere. But in 1938, and in 1948, there were very few people that lived on the flats. They worked the land, they farmed, but they lived in town. They went out to work everyday, simply because the land had flooded and they didn't want to be in that kind of area. But Nick's Island was almost the same. It didn't have houses on it, except, we lived in a camp, a construction camp to begin with, until we had seen that the land was quite safe. Then they built Libby Dam. That kept the water back from the Kootenay River and we didn't have to worry about floods anymore."
- Margaret Berg

53

The Libby Dam that would save all the farmlands from flooding and regulate water levels.
1970
Libby, Montana, USA

54

Libby Dam virtually eliminated the threat of flooding on the Creston flats, but every advantage has its price: Libby Dam has also worsened the erosion on the dykes. The dam not only holds water back, it can also release it. For example, if there is a heavy snowpack in the mountains, water will be released from the Libby Dam reservoir, to create more storage for the spring run-off. This might happen several times over the year, and each time the water rises and recedes, more of the dykes are washed away.

55

Farms at Wynndel under water
1997
Wynndel, north of Creston, BC

56

Only once since Libby Dam was completed did the Creston Valley come close to flooding. "In 1997," says Cyril Colonel, "the river rose 56 feet above normal. It had got to fifty feet before, and we knew the dykes could handle that, but we were worried when it got to 56."

Some areas did have very heavy seepage, even though the dykes held. Worse, though, fourteen inches of rain fell in June, 1997, and the pumps in the various dyking districts could not remove the water fast enough. "We lost about 75% of the crop that year," recalls Cyril, "even though the dykes didn't break."