No stopping rising lake
‘Aquadams’ set up along shore of Okanagan Lake as officials say they can’t keep lake from rising to flooding levels
Large inflatable rubber dams have been set up along local waterfront parks to protect properties from rising lake water.
“We can’t stop Okanagan Lake from rising right now,” said Jason Luciw, public information officer with the Central Okanagan Emergency Operations Centre. “It seems we can’t catch a break. There isn’t much we can do about it except hope for the best and prepare for the worst.”
The cylindrical orange aquadams, or bladder dams, are one metre in diameter, and each section is 15 metres long.
The sections attach together to form a barrier against Okanagan Lake, which was at 342.7 metres above sea level on Tuesday morning, up 2.5 centimetres from Monday afternoon.
Officials expect significant flooding when the lake reaches a level of 343 metres, but in 1990, flooding occurred when Okanagan Lake was at 342.86 metres, said Stacey Harding, risk manager with the Central Okanagan Emergency Operations Centre.
Okanagan Lake is rising an average of three centimetres a day.
Crews were setting up two rows of the aquadam next to each other in West Kelowna’s Pritchard Park Tuesday, then placing another row on top.
“We’re getting some protection up to that 343 (metre) level, and then exceeding that by another 60 centimetres to get it to 343.6 (metres),” said Harding.
Aquadams were also being set up at Pebble Beach in West Kelowna.
There are currently 7.5 kilometres of aquadams being used in the Central Okanagan to protect against flooding, said Summer Effray, with the emergency operations centre.
Aquadams were not used previously this spring because there was no need for them, said Effray.
“Up until this point, there has not been any damage caused by the rising levels of the lake,” she said. “The beginning of the (flooding) event was more about streams and creeks, and the focus has now shifted to the lake.”
The placement of the aquadams is based on which locations are the most vulnerable to flooding from rising lake levels, said Luciw.
“Primary considerations for the placement of flood protection barriers include protecting public infrastructure,” he said. “It also includes areas where the foreshore barriers can be installed to protect upland properties.”
The aquadams, which are blocking access to the waterfront, will remain in place until the water levels start to recede, said Harding.
“It’s going to be inconvenient, (but) the protection of our infrastructure and our community . . . is precedent over waterfront use right now.”
To help prevent flooding along the waterfront, boaters are being asked to keep their speed down and stay away from the shore.
Officials are also reminding people not to remove debris that has washed up on the shore.
“That will help guard against wave action, and it will also help protect from shore erosion and, to some degree, it will also help keep floodwaters at bay,” said Luciw.
Residents can check if their properties are at risk of flooding at cordemergency.ca.
While residents on the shore of Okanagan Lake faced a greater risk of flooding Tuesday, the risk dropped for another group. Evacuation orders and alerts were rescinded for dozens of properties in Lake Country.