City of Kelowna crews are preparing for the peak of spring runoff.
They are increasing creek capacity and working with BC Wildfire Service personnel and contractors to place flood protection along creeks.
READ MORE: Flood mitigation; Kelowna prepares creeks for spring freshet
Mill Creek remains the main focus of flood mitigation.
Bladder dams and sandbags are being set up along the banks. Some pedestrian pathways are being raised.
Trees and brush are being removed below the high water mark, and dredging of the creek was allowed by the province for the first time in several years.
“The city and the province are protective of the natural environment, but we are also responsible for protecting civic infrastructure which in turn protects our residents. We wish we did not have to, but with the reality of the flooding risk and what that impact could be, this work had to be done,” Alan Newcombe, divisional director of infrastructure, said.
On April 26, Kelowna declared a local state of emergency specifically for Mill Creek to allow crews to access private properties to place flood protection measures.
READ MORE: 2017 wildfires exacerbate flood risk in B.C. Interior, as hundreds remain evacuated
Low lake levels have been maintained to accommodate this year’s spring runoff, and properties along the lake are not at risk of flooding at this time.
Property owners living near creeks, streams, low-lying areas, and the lakefront are responsible for protecting their own properties from the prospect of flooding.
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