Creek-end dream home built to rise above flood
Homeowner hopes flood-proofing will be sufficient as level of Okanagan Lake continues to rise
Looking at his property on a map, you might think Georg Schurian is the most worried man in Kelowna.
He owns the lot at the end of fast-flowing Mission Creek, where it empties into a still-rising Okanagan Lake.
Schurian is putting the finishing touches on his 5,000-square-foot dream home, and his property is one of dozens placed on evacuation alert due to flood risk.
But Schurian isn’t too concerned. He can even crack a joke about the situation: “It’s a beautiful spot, particularly now. I feel like I’m on an extended river cruise.”
Okanagan Lake was measured at 343.17 metres above sea level on Thursday morning, up two centimetres from Wednesday.
A revised forecast maximum is now 343.25 metres above sea level.
“With snow still remaining at higher mountain elevations, Okanagan Lake is predicted to peak around the middle of the month,” the Central Okanagan Emergency Operations Centre said in a release. “Mission Creek levels and flows are also expected to continue to rise, and residents are advised to prepare for higher levels.”
Schurian’s calm outlook is due to the forethought, planning and expense he has put into building his new home.
Building regulations in the area require the underside of the home’s concrete slab foundation to be at an elevation of 343.66 metres above sea level, a figure that exceeds any recorded elevation of Okanagan Lake.
But the underside of the slab below Schurian’s house is at an elevation of 343.7 metres above sea level, and the slab itself affords another 10 centimetres of flood protection. There is no crawl space or basement.
In addition, the finished landscape plan will incorporate flood protection disguised as ornamental features.
“Flood-proofing isn’t rocket science; it just requires a little extra expense,” he said. “I want to make sure my investment is protected, but I also hope to never see another sandbag on the property.”
While Schurian expects to weather flooding this year, an evacuation order was issued Thursday afternoon for five waterfront properties in the Killiney Beach area on the west side of Okanagan Lake. The properties are in the 9400 block of Hodges Road and the 9400 block of Kilkenny Place.