The Conservative opposition is questioning why the Department of Transportation isn't doing more to curb runoff from unpaved roads into the Montague River.

It's an ongoing problem that some say is getting worse with more severe weather conditions.

Scott Roloson, who is working on a PHD for the Canadian Rivers Institute at UPEI, is researching the Montague River's habitat and the trout and salmon that live there.

He saw Monday’s heavy rains fill the river with silt and almost blow out Knox's dam.

"More so than ever, the intensity of our rainfalls is leading to flash flooding, flash downpours, which in of themselves create an entirely worse sedimentation problem," Roloson said.

Steven Myers, the Conservative transportation critic, says that while many blame farmers for heavy siltation of rivers, there are also several dirt roads in and around the Montague Watershed that are causing problems.

"I know I travelled this during the rain, the silt coming was off government roads, the government likes to point fingers at the famers, but I think they need to take some of the blame," Myers said.

Montague town Coun. John MacFarlane says he has questions too.

"I understand there's transportation issues where work is being done on roads where siltation is running right into streams down through watersheds," MacFarlane said. "Why has that happened?"

MLA Allan Roche was out of province and unavailable for comment on the problem.

Roloson says it's a problem facing all Islanders, and it shouldnt be just a political issue.

"It's always nice to point the fingers at a farmer or ... the Department of Transportation, but it's a problem that's a responsibility of all Islanders, because ultimately it comes down to the integrity of our watercourses and our water quality," Roloson said.

These extreme weather conditions are expected to happen more frequently, only causing greater siltation problems for watersheds across the Island.