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Vol. 61, Issue 123
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Rising Wasa waters threaten homes S A L LY M AC D O N A L D Townsman Staff
Wasa is on high alert today as lake levels continue to rise quickly following last week’s record rainfall. A state of emergency was declared for Wasa on Tuesday, June 25, after the level of the lake rose between four and six inches overnight. While there was no order to evacuate, the Regional District of East Kootenay (RDEK) was warning residents to be prepared to leave flood-affected homes. “It may happen. We want people to be aware that the water is still coming up,” said RDEK’s Dan McNeill. Nine homes were sandbagged on Tuesday at the south end of the lake, with crews from the Wildfire Management Branch in Cranbrook out at Wasa to assist with sandbag-
ging efforts. Two crews of 10 were sandbagging two homes at a time around the ground-fed lake, which peaks about a week after the nearby Kootenay River. As of press time, the water in Wasa Lake was still about two feet below its level last year, when Wasa also experienced flooding. Just like last year, the RDEK is advising Wasa residents to boil water from their wells until the water can be tested by Interior Health. Several wells and septic systems are likely to be underwater as the lake rises. Volunteers at Wasa Community Hall were helping Tuesday, including Garry Verigin of Wasa Slim Pickens, whose store donated a truck, skidster and trailer for the efforts.
See WASA , Page 3
Truck retrieved from creek, but no sign of missing men S A L LY M AC D O N A L D Townsman Staff
The truck in which two young men went into Findlay Creek on June 8 has been pulled out of the water, according to a statement from Cranbrook RCMP. Stephen Thomson, 21, of Canal Flats and Nicholas Hoefnagels, 19, of Carstairs, Alberta were reported missing on June 9 after they failed to return to their campsite at Whitetail Lake. A subsequent search found signs a vehicle had gone off the forestry road into Findlay Creek and personal belongings of the two men were found nearby. However, the creek was flowing too high and too fast to get to the vehicle, which was finally sighted underwater on June 18 after the family of the missing men paid for
SALLY MACDONALD PHOTO
A crew from the Cranbrook Wildfire Management Branch takes a break during sandbagging operations on Larch Road in Wasa on Tuesday, June 25.
a blasting permit. Continuing efforts to recover the truck were hampered by last week’s extreme rainfall, which markedly increased the river flows in Findlay Creek. Receding water levels revealed that during the rainfall event, the truck had been pushed downstream and was now visible and accessible. “Family and friends of the missing men brought a skidder to the area which hooked the truck and pulled it to shore,” said Cpl. Pat Prefontaine. “The truck has now been towed from the location. The damage to the truck from the water pressure was extensive. “Neither of the deceased were located in the vehicle wreckage and the search will continue as environmental conditions permit.”
Stampede still up in the air for Cranbrook competitors A R N E P E T RYS H E N Townsman Staff
Calgary is in a state of recovery from the recent devastating floods, and with just over a week to go for cleanup efforts, the famed Calgary Stampede is going ahead. Jim Wavrecan will be driving the City of Cranbrook’s float in the Stampede parade. Wavrecan said he’d heard from organizers that the parade is going on. “I just emailed back the fellow that’s in charge of the municipal floats and said now more than ever we’d be there to support the city,” he said. The parade will most likely have to take a bit different route. “The usual setup is for a bar-
becue on Thursday night and a breakfast on Friday morning, but I suspect that area got washed right out, because it’s right where the Elbow and the Bow meet. So there may be a different starting location. Judging from what I see on TV, I think they’ll have the streets cleared up pretty good. It shouldn’t be a problem to do the parade.” Wavrecan has been driving the float off and on for 20 years. “We’ve been pretty pleased with the float this year,” he said. “We’ve been in two out-of-town parades and won first prize in our category in both of them.” A few years ago, Cranbrook even won the Calgary Stampede’s float competition, when
the float featured Cranbrook’s famous escaped elephant. Also in Cranbrook, Lawrence McGibbon of Carlaw Clydes is preparing horses for the Stampede despite still not knowing the extent to which the event will be going ahead. McGibbon said he had put in calls to people he knows in the office but had no answer yet. On the weekend, seeing the damage that was occurring, he said he thought for sure the Stampede would be cancelled, as much of the grounds and buildings were flooded, but on Monday he saw the message on the stampede website saying that the show was going ahead.
See STAMPEDE , Page 5