Heavy rain and snowmelt lead to Okanagan Lake rising well above full pool

As the flood watch continues in B.C., Okanagan Lake is currently sitting at about 10 centimetres above full pool and water levels are expected to continue to rise.

“It will continue rising for at least another week,” said Sandra Follack, emergency program coordinator for the Central Okanagan. “We are watching the models daily. It’s kind of hard to predict what the weather is going to do for us, but we are seeing a two-centimeter rise a day.”

Full pool is measured at 342.48 metres.

On Monday, the water level in the Okanagan’s largest lake was sitting at 342.58.

While the level is expected to continue it’s upward climb over the coming days, Follack told Global News emergency officials aren’t sounding the alarm just yet.

“We can go probably another 10 centimeters before we really need to worry about anything,” Follack said. “So we’re optimistically cautious.”

Officials are monitoring the water levels in lakes and creeks very closely as there is still a lot snowpack to melt.

Compounding the problem is the rain.

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On Sunday alone, Kelowna received close to 15 millimetres of precipitation.

“The unsettled weather that we’ve had over the last couple of days has definitely raised the lake levels, which is a concern, Follack said. “We’re seeing quite a bit of water coming down in the watersheds due to the rain events that are happening up in the mountains. That is not helping us at all with the lake levels, but we’re monitoring it.”

During the devastating flood season of 2017, lake levels reached 343.25.

“(In) 2017 and 18 we had quite a bit of flooding and it was due to what our lakes could not handle, what our creeks cannot handle,” Follack said. “Since then,  jurisdictions have done amazing mitigation work and there’s a lot of support in the creek beds and the lake that will allow the flooding to be a little bit higher.”

Mission Creek water levels are also being closely monitored.

“We are still seeing heavy flow coming because of the snow shed,” Follack said. “And you’re going see increased volumes for another week at least, depending on what the weather does.

Last week, Mission Creek breached its banks in some areas and residents who lives along the waterway are nervous it may happen again.

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Sophie Fenwick-McCarthy lives in the area and has been checking on the creek almost daily on her walks.

“I think this is awful, “she said. “I feel so bad for the people that live around here and it’s worse today.”

Emergency officials are warning people not to let their guard down just yet.

“If you live in an area that’s subject to flooding you should have have put in some measures or take a look at what’s happening,” Follack said.

Kris Stewart lives next to Mill Creek.  In fact, the creek flows right through her property.

The Kelowna woman has been flooded three times in the 15 years she’s lived there – 2017 was the last time.

“The entire property was underwater, including three feet of water in my basement,” she told Global News.

While she’s always ready for flood season with plenty of sandbags in her shed, she’s hoping to avoid having to use them this time around.

“In 2018, the City of Kelowna came through Mill Creek, and in my section alone, they took out about three tree stands in the middle of the creek, and that significantly improved things,” she said. “I’ve had a little bit of breaching the creek banks since then, but it’s not worrisome.”

Follack said a new city-built diversion structure off of Enterprise Way should alleviate some of the flooding concerns for those living along certain sections of Mill Creek, including Stewart.

“It diverts a lot of the water from Mill Creek over to the Mission Creek tributary, so the lower part of the city that used to flood, Sutherland area, shouldn’t be much of a concern,” Follack said.

Ultimately, it’s Mother Nature who has the final say.

“We have a substantially higher snowpack this year than last because of our long, late, cool spring and all it takes is about three days of intense heat and then we’re back to 2017 again.” Stewart said. “I’m crossing my fingers that that’s not going to happen because we’re not out of the woods yet.”

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