Update: 3:35 p.m.
With a threat of heavy rain and dramatic flooding in areas of Kelowna and Lake Country, the YMCA of Okanagan is opening its doors to community members who may be affected.
“We need to look after one another during this time,” said Sharon Peterson, CEO of the YMCA of Okanagan.
“Our hearts go out to those who have been affected by the floods, and we want people to know that we are here to help if they need a supportive community and a shower.”
The YMCA of Okanagan welcomes individuals to either the Kelowna Family YMCA or the H2O Adventure + Fitness Centre to use the showers free of charge during this time. All they ask is that you bring photo ID upon entry.
For any questions, the YMCA of Okanagan is urging individuals in need to contact the Y’s member services team at 250-491-9622.
Story filed: 11:35 a.m.
If the rain forecasts hold true over the next 48 hours, flooding is going to get worse before it starts to subside in Lake Country.
Anticipating the worst is a scenario the District of Lake Country public works department has been preparing for since the onset of flooding began last Friday.
Kiel Wilkie, engineering technician for the district, said public works staff have been working around the clock since then, both offering resource assistance to the regional Emergency Operation Centre in Kelowna and working in the field and monitoring different flood flash points in Lake Country’s water distribution and sanitation systems.
“From a public works perspective, our main role is to protect the community infrastructure first and foremost, as our Vernon Creek and Oyama Creek water sources actually became compromised,” said Wilkie.
Because of that, the district has already imposed a no-irrigation water use restriction for farmers and advised homeowners to turn off their sprinkler systems and not fill up their swimming pools.
As well, residents are told not to redirect water runoff into sanitary sewer lines as the volume of waters will compromise the system and create potential health and environment impacts.
“We’ve also done a lot of work uplands along Beaver Lake Road to make sure our drainage system holds and not impacted by road washouts near our Beaver Lake watershed intake sites. A lot of staff effort has gone into that.”
Both the Beaver Lake and Oyama Lake reservoirs are overflowing while most of the highest elevation snowpack still has yet to melt.
A second emergency response aspect has been Middle Vernon Creek, which connects Duck Lake to Wood Lake, backing up due to high water flow volumes overwhelming the Bottom Wood Lake Road culvert near Mayras Road.
“What we’ve seen is the overflow infiltrating our sewer system to where it is at capacity which raises potential health concerns, so we have been able to return that to normal and plug off the areas where creek water has gotten into the sewer system,” Wilkie said.
The sanitation lift stations near Wood Lake have also become a concern due to the lake level expected to rise in the coming days.
The sewer system is gravity fed to a low point, and the lift station pumps the water to the higher point waste water treatment station. If that station is overwhelmed by water, the lift station can break down.
“We have put up sandbag barriers around the lift stations now in the eventuality that Wood Lake rises so the system will keep functioning,” Wilkie said.
“We expect the lake to rise another foot so people living in low lying areas around the lake are going to need to set up sandbag barriers to minimize any potential flooding on their sites.”
Wilkie noted that while district work crews focus on Lake Country’s water distribution infrastructure, local volunteers have come forward offering assistance to those trying to protect their homes from flooding.
“What I saw personally on Monday was one of the culverts on Bottom Wood Lake Road became slightly submerged for Middle Vernon Creek (near Mayrus Road), and volunteers showed up to sandbag and dig a trench to divert the runoff down the side of the road which was extremely impressive,” Wilkie said.
“And the same thing again yesterday. People helping fill sandbags, local businesses dropping off water and food…the support from the community has been spectacular out there.”
For more information and the latest flooding updates, check the website www.cordemergency.ca.