Okanagan Lake likely to reach full pool this week, lakefront homeowners urged to prepare

The Central Okanagan Emergency Operations Centre (COEOC) is urging property owners living along Okanagan Lake to take flood precaution measures.

In the past week, Okanagan Lake rose 48.5 cm to 342.31 metres, that is 17 cm below full pool.

However, with a 30 per cent chance of precipitation predicted for Wednesday night, it is likely that the lake will reach full pool, 342.48 metres by Friday and exceed the level by the weekend.

Waterfront property owners are urged to secure their docks and make sure boat anchor lines are long enough so they don’t snap if water continues to rise.

Residents in low-lying and waterfront areas that were affected by the rising lake levels in 2017 are encouraged to sandbag or take other measures to protect structures on their property.

Click here for the most up-to-date information on sand and sandbag locations in the central Okanagan. New locations are being added and locations may change.

Local public works staff are also putting measures in place to protect public infrastructure, and residents may see proactive flood protection along beaches and the lakefront.

The COEOC said bladder dams, gabion barriers and sandbags will be installed at a number of locations along Okanagan Lake’s foreshore on a priority basis, making the most efficient use of work crews to get to as many areas as possible protected before the lake rises.