MONDAY JUNE 24, 2013
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Vol. 61, Issue 121
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Flood situation improves across region C A R O LYN G R A N T Daily Bulletin
SALLY MACDONALD PHOTO
The surging Bull River was giving a beating to BC Hydro’s Aberfeldie Dam on Saturday, June 22. The run-of-river facility had water gushing over it, roaring through the canyon below beside the Bull River Forest Service Road. Meanwhile, BC Hydro’s Elko Dam on the Elk River was in danger of giving way Friday night as the abutments supporting each side of the dam were being eroded by high flows on the river. BC Hydro crews worked on the Elko Dam through the night to divert water and the danger had largely passed by Saturday afternoon.
An incredibly busy period for municipal, regional district and emergency crews across the entire region appears to be calming somewhat, at least for now. Cranbrook would have to be considered the luckiest community in the area with no real damage or flood concerns after the heavy rains. “It appears our portion of the East Kootenay has escaped a bullet,” said Joe McGowan, Cranbrook’s Director of Public Works. “We are one of the very fortunate ones.” The turbidity levels in Cranbrook’s water was well within standard, he said Friday. Joseph Creek experienced localized flooding in the “usual areas” between Baker Park and the Green Clinic, but no buildings were threatened. In Kimberley, with no significant precipitation for the past 24 hours (at press time, Sunday) Mark Creek, while still running very fast, appears to have peaked. In the Morrison Subdivision, which was beginning to flood on Friday, June 21, water has receded. There are still a few lawns under water but the subdivision is dry for the most part. While tap water in Kimberley looks clearer on Sunday than it did on Friday, the City has not yet lifted the Boil Water Notice. The Kimberley situation has stabilized, says the Regional District of East Kootenay’s Information Officer Loree Duczek. However, Mark Creek is still running quickly and residents
are advised to stay away from its banks. The City also put out an advisory Friday that the walking bridge over Mark Creek by Marysville Falls may be unsafe after being pounded by water. Do not attempt to walk on the bridge. It and the boardwalk remain closed. The highway from Wasa to Cranbrook (93/95) was still closed Sunday as flood waters were over the road in certain locations. That traffic is diverted through Kimberley to Cranbrook. Wasa resident James Swansburg was keeping an eye on the rising water in that community and said that on Saturday, it appeared that the highway was essentially acting like a big dike between the lake and the river. The RDEK has delivered sand and 2,000 sandbags to Wasa and the CPR is monitoring its tracks in that area. Waters in Dutch Creek near Fairmont dropped over Friday night and the Evacuation Order for the HooDoo Resort Campground and surrounding residences has been rescinded. Both Fairmont Creek and Cold Spring Creek remained within their channels and the situation in Fairmont has stabilized compared to earlier last week, Duczek said. Invermere experienced only some localized flooding in low lying areas. The Springbrook bridge at Skookumchuk has opened to single lane traffic after being closed Friday as the Kootenay River was eroding part of its support.
See FLOOD, Page 4