Lake now above full pool

Just 48 hours after state of emergency was declared in the Kelowna area due to flooding in parts of that city, Penticton on Thursday activated its emergency operations centre to prepare for possible impacts from high water in Okanagan Lake.

As of noon Thursday, the lake surface was at 342.5 metres above sea level – two centimetres higher than full pool, which is the maximum desired operating level based on a variety of factors, including protection of property and wildlife habitat.

The lake’s level is managed by the province with a dam in Penticton, the operator of which wasn’t available for an interview Thursday afternoon.

The lake has been rising steadily by approximately two centimetres per day since last week, but is nowhere near the record level of 343.25 cm reached in 2017.

Environment Canada is forecasting clouds and showers for the next week right across the Okanagan.

Meanwhile, the flow in Mission Creek through East Kelowna has moderated and was running at 53 cubic metres per second as of noon Thursday, down from a brief high of 124 around 2 a.m. Tuesday, which triggered localized flooding and some bridge closures.

Officials are asking boaters to minimize their wake near shorelines to reduce erosion and suggesting the public to leave debris along the waterline until such time as the water recedes and pickup can be done safely.

Elsewhere in the province, the River Forecast Centre has lifted high streamflow advisories for the Okanagan, Similkameen, Boundary and Columbia regions, but maintained them for waterways in the east and west Kootenay, Thompson and along the Fraser River from Quesnel to the ocean.

High streamflow advisories alerting residents to possible rapid increases in river levels have also been added for the Bella Coola and Dean rivers on the central coast and for the Bulkley River and its tributaries north and south of Smithers.

A flood warning covering the Liard River and its tributaries between Fort Nelson and Watson Lake in northeastern B.C. remains unchanged, as does the high streamflow advisory for most waterways across the extreme northwest corner of the province.

JOE FRIES/Penticton Herald Sand is suddenly at a premium on Okanagan Lake Beach in Penticton as the water level continues its steady rise. While the lake has usually topped out by this time of year, cool weather has delayed the spring melt by several weeks.