Record-high water levels starting to hinder tourism in the Okanagan
Flooding in and around the Okanagan has swamped residents and work crews who are battling to protect properties and infrastructure, and it is now putting a damper on at least some tourism-related businesses.
Lakes have swollen in recent weeks to “unprecedented levels” in the region, according to the Central Okanagan Emergency Operations Centre, and that has put waterfront assets at serious risk of water damage.
Powerboaters have been warned to stay off lakes to prevent large wakes from toppling sandbags on the shore, and some waterways are teeming with dangerous obstacles — submerged docks, fallen trees and other debris.
Boat-rental companies around the region are losing out on business because of the warning, with out-of-town guests cancelling reservations and opting for other forms of recreation.
Donna Dudych, an owner at Lakefront Sports Centre in Kelowna, said her company has yet to launch any of their six brand-new Jet Skis or start up their parasailing operation.
“We’ve just got a couple of boats in (the water) and they sit here all day,” Dudych said. “The only thing we can rent out are our kayaks.”
The sports centre opened in late May, just before the beginning of prime boating season when many European visitors arrive, Dudych said.
“This has never happened. We’ve never been unable to put equipment in the water,” said Dudych, who has managed the sports centre for the last 13 years.
Karen Miller, a spokeswoman at Lake Country, said that while some out-of-towners have shied away from plans to boat in her district as well, there are still plenty of other things to do in the Okanagan.
Flooding in the region has yet to peak, officials warn, and more water is coming, with rain in the forecast for as early as Thursday and through the weekend.
Floodwaters have risen half a metre above historic levels of 1948, according to the operations centre, which had another 250,000 sandbags delivered to the area this week.
On Tuesday, the centre warned that rising water table levels are causing underground water to reach the surface.
“Local streets may close suddenly due to groundwater seeping to the surface,” according to a news release from the centre.
That warning aside, roads have been problem-free so far, said Ellen Walker-Matthews with the Thompson Okanagan Tourism Association.
“The No. 1 call that we’re getting (from tourists) is, ‘Can we get there?’ Absolutely, the roads are fine. … We certainly have no issues with access to the region,” she said.
“The only real concern at the moment is (for) our residents, of course, and the lake levels.”
Chris Shauf, a director of marketing and communications for Tourism Kelowna, said they have not seen a drop in out-of-town guests, despite the flooding.
“We want people to know that Kelowna is, in fact, open for business … in most cases, it is business as usual,” he said.
In Shuswap Country, marinas are making sure boaters are keeping their wakes at a minimum and staying away from the shoreline, said Robyn Cyr, an economic development officer for the regional district.
The high water levels have not impacted house boating, she said.
A flood watch is in effect for the South Thompson and Shuswap rivers in B.C.’s southern Interior, but the River Forecast Centre has downgraded the risk on the North Thompson River and on the Thompson River through Kamloops.
Advisories for high stream flows remain for the North Thompson and Thompson rivers and for the Slocan River in southeastern B.C.
The forecast centre said all advisories have been called off for the Kettle River in the Similkameen, the West and East Kootenay, the Columbia region and for Mission Creek through downtown Kelowna.