Photo by Ronda Payne
Caroline Morstertman and Abe Gotzke.
Caroline Morstertman (co-owner of Ripples) and volunteer helper Abe Gotzke.
Anyone in BC who questioned the impacts of climate change was likely silenced by the atmospheric rivers that fell on the province in mid-November 2021.
Prior to the record-smashing deluge, the term atmospheric river was only used in meteorological circles. Now, people throughout the Lower Mainland, Fraser Valley, Nicola Valley and beyond associate the phrase with disaster.
Record volumes of rain fell as the province was hit by three atmospheric river events, one after the other. The unprecedented storm washed away highways, kicked over bridges, breached century-old dikes, and overwhelmed pumps as homes were destroyed, farms were flooded, and animals were evacuated or died in their fields and barns.
Perhaps the hardest hit agricultural area was Sumas Prairie, formerly Sumas Lake. Drained from 1920 to 1924 to create valuable farmland, the region flooded 100 years later as the Fraser River flooded, and waters from the Nooksack River breached a critical dike. Productive farmland, homes and businesses were under more than eight feet of water in some areas. Most property owners are left without insurance due to the region being in a floodplain.
Ripples Winery Overwhelmed with Help
The hardest hit farms were primarily those with dairy cattle, poultry, and various berry crops. Among the latter, Caroline Mostertman, co-owner of Ripples Winery and New Wave Distilling, was in shock at first as her blueberry and grape winery and the berry farm were buried under a tide of muddy water. Who wouldn’t be, with water lapping up around the top of door frames?
“The positive side is that we have been inundated with people to help us,” she says. “It’s friends, it’s ex-employees. You have to realize that 50 people lost their jobs just on the farm alone. They’re all coming back. It’s just been amazing, the community support. That’s my takeaway from this. It’s been such an amazing experience to see how this community has come together and helped people.”
But the help was hard to acclimatize to at first. When all the volunteers showed up and Mostertman looked around at the devastation of the 20-acre winery, distillery, nursery, pond supply store and homestead, it was impossible to take action.
“The first day that people came, it was a small army that descended on us. It was so overwhelming to me. I went and hid in my greenhouse for the better part of the day. My husband and I were shell-shocked,” she explains. “The next day, I was a little bit more prepared. By day three, I was able to make decisions and organize people and direct people. I’ve learned to say yes and thank you. It’s not an easy thing to learn as a farmer.”
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Ripples Winery
After
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Ripples Winery
Before
The Extent of Losses
The brand-new winery hadn’t even had its final inspection when it was filled with three feet of flood water. Other areas, like the old winery, the tasting room and the nursery store had water six feet deep. Spirits tanks from the distillery floated, hit other debris and lost their contents or were breached. Pallets of wine and spirits collapsed, wine tanks spouted.
Mostertman estimates the losses in the millions, especially if the blueberries and grapes have been killed.
“If we have to replant all our fruit, then indeed it is millions,” she says. “It’s too early to tell. We won’t know that until spring. They’ve been underwater for the better part of three weeks.”
If the grape and berry plants aren’t able to produce, the Mostertmans will lose their ability to create alcohol, and with it, their manufacturing licence and the accompanying licensed endorsements of the picnic area and lounge. Even if the vines and bushes survive, they will have had, as she puts it, “a hell of a kicker.”
Other Vineyards Okay, Berries Took a Beating
No other vineyards appear to have been impacted by the atmospheric rivers according to Tyrion Miskell, administrator with the BC Grape Growers’ Association. Many responded to the organization’s request for a check-in with none reporting flood issues.
Berry growers didn’t fare so well. The BC Blueberry Council reported that while Sumas Prairie was hit hardest, Matsqui Flats also flooded as did Hatzic and other localized areas. Approximately 2,500 acres were impacted, with 1,000 severely impacted.
One of the localized flood areas was Karnail Singh’s blueberry farm in Cloverdale. His son, Purdip Sekhon spoke about the excessive water seen at their four locations totaling 150 planted acres.
At the outset of the first atmospheric river, Sekhon knew the situation was different.
“The volume of rain over that period of time, the fields just couldn’t handle it. We couldn’t get into our fields,” he says. “They were already wet, full of water. It was a combination of things. It was high tide, so the water had nowhere to go, so it just had to sit there.”
Now, as the water is receding, the family still deals with flooded patches and they can’t get machinery into the fields to dig trenches. Some standing water is normal, but this is definitely exceptional.
“We were lucky in that the water did come up, but our buildings are all okay,” he says. “We’re doing pruning when we can get into our fields. We have little windows when we can go in and do the work, but for the most part, we have to wait until they dry out.”
After the flood
Blueberry Production Will Take Years To Recover
Michael Dossett, breeder and geneticist with BC Berry Cultivar Development says many factors will determine how blueberry plants fare.
“I suspect that even after three weeks under water, most mature blueberry fields that were healthy going into this will survive with the caveat that there may be significant damage to fruiting wood above ground,” he says. “The best course of action for those plants will be to stump the field at 18 to 24 inches.”
This drastic pruning will eliminate the 2022 crop and will see a reduced crop in the subsequent year or two.
“By June or July it will be apparent which fields have vigour and will bounce back and which ones won’t,” he says. “We won’t know until plants wake up.”
Losses Pile Up on the Prairie
Unfortunately, Dossett says strawberries and cane berries are unlikely to survive such significant flooding and lack of oxygen. Curtis Sandhu of Farmers Fresh Quality Produce (Sandhu Farms) agrees, saying his 25 acres of berries on the Sumas Prairie are “done.”
“In the fields, in the low spots we had eight feet [of water],” he says. “Our house [had] about four feet. It’s disgusting. An inch of mud lining every square foot of the property.”
In addition to berries, the farm also grows vegetables. Sandhu feels the vegetable fields will be fine, but knows that he will have to replant berries and do soil testing to ensure the balance is restored for good growth.
“It’s a full tear out and replant,” he says. “It will be two years until we get a crop. Three years until we’re at full production.”
While the Sandhus are one of the lucky families to have some insurance, it doesn’t cover everything and it certainly won’t cover losses estimated to be in the millions.
“The tractors are a write-off. Water got into the cab of the tractors,” he says. “The older ones that we have that don’t have any computers, we can salvage those.”
Other equipment is still in question and due to the toxic water, everything is corroding.
“After two weeks it’s already rusting,” he says. “Things that sit outside for years without rusting, and they are already rusting.”
Financial Help Has Started
Although not everyone has the ability to volunteer like the helpers at Ripples Winery, the desire to contribute is strong. Danielle Synotte, executive director with the BC Agriculture Council notes the organization set up the Fund for Farmers in mid-November in response to those looking for a way to support farmers and ranchers facing losses.
“We are industry, working for industry. It’s important to note that a dollar in is a dollar out,” she says. “We don’t do this all the time. This is a unique case.”
While distribution of funds is not yet established as it will take time to see what happens around the province, Synotte says BCAC member organizations will be instrumental in the process. This is also why BCAC continues to be instrumental in connecting member organization boards with various governments and stakeholders to discuss needs and facilitate communication.
It’s a long road ahead for farmers and growers impacted by flooding. In a year that has already been unkind, it’s best to look for the silver linings as Mostertman has. Appreciating the kindness and support of others is the best way to maintain sanity in the face of disaster.