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PROUDLY SERVING KIMBERLEY AND AREA SINCE 1932 | Vol. 84, Issue 92 | www.kimberleybulletin.com
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PHOTO COURTESY KSAR
Kimberley Search and Rescue spent the Victoria Day long weekend training members for its swift water team. Ten members participated in the three day training session which included a classroom session followed up with two days of practical exercises developing their skills in the St Mary’s River near Kimberley. ‘We believe in Prevention and Public Education’ stated Wendy Heatherington, Adventure Smart Master Trainer and Search Manager for Kimberley SAR, ‘but people can get into trouble and we are training to respond and assist those people in need’. This course instructed by Kyle Hale of Golden Search and Rescue was made possible from the funding of the one time $10,000,000 contribution from the BC Government. Kimberley SAR has seen this enthusiastic group of new volunteers successfully complete their Ground Search and Rescue Member training. The Swift Water training is adding to their skill set. There are over 2500 SAR volunteers in the BC and Kimberley Search and Rescue is always looking for people who want to give back to their community and are motivated by helping people. Practices and training sessions are held Tuesday at 6:30 pm night at our bays located in City Hall. For more information go to www. kimberleysar.org or email info@kimberleysar.org .
Bootleg Trails get go ahead Council asks Recreation Sites and Trails BC, Kimberley Trails Society to sit on Mark Creek Integrated Watershed Committee C AROLYN GR ANT Bulletin Editor
Last week, Kimberley City Council once again discussed the issue of recreation in the watershed. The Kimberley Trails Society who, working with Recreation Sites and Trails BC, is working on the Bootleg Trails Project. While the City has no jurisdiction over the area where the trails are proposed, the trails do cut across a portion of the Matthew Creek watershed, and therefore the City did have some voice in the proposal.
It was decided that rather than work out a Memorandum of Understanding, which had been in the works since the winter, it would better suit the City’s needs to have representatives from RSTBC and the KTS sit on the Mark Creek Integrated Watershed Committee. That, Mayor and Council agreed, would provide a suitable venue to discuss any issues that come up through this and other future trails project. While Council has no concerns about this current Bootleg Trail Project — Coun. Albert Hoglund
noted that the trails are not above the Matthew Creek intake — there was some broader discussion once again, about activity in the watershed. There was also some question from Council as to how the MOU came to be abandoned. Coun. Nigel Kitto, the city representative on the Trails Society, said he was concerned about communication. After going through what he said was a convoluted and difficult process to get to an MOU, it was suddenly abandoned. See TRAILS, page 5
Low snowpack to affect Koocanusa, Kootenay Lake TRE VOR CR AWLEY Cranbrook Townsman
What was looking like a strong snowpack earlier in March has given way to an early runoff due to warm temperatures in April, which will have an effect on water levels at Kootenay Lake and Lake Koocanusa. Joel Fenolio, the Upper Columbia Senior Water Manager with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, said that Lake Koocanusa will likely be short of it’s preferred elevation of 2,454 feet by July 31st. “We had above average snowpack
through March, looking pretty healthy in terms of refill and operations throughout the spring and summer,” Fenolio said. “ And then April hit. “Basically we lost our snowpack and we’re well below average in terms of snowpack. The latest round of storms has helped that, but we need it to continue through June in order for Lake Koocanusa to refill.” Water levels at elevation 2,459 feet is considered full pool, and Fenolio is hoping that any potential precipitation in June can help the water supply get closer to that figure. See SNOW, page 4