A FortisBC truck slowly makes its way down the flooded street at Solana Key on Friday morning. Ten more homes have been ordered evacuated on this street in addition to ones evacuated Thursday. (Richard McGuire photo)

More properties in Osoyoos were ordered evacuated Friday night as the high level of Osoyoos Lake continued to threaten homes on Harbour Key Drive and Solana Key Court especially.

The new evacuation order covers 10 homes on Solana Key Court, 14 on Harbour Key Drive, five on Cottonwood Drive and one on Kingfisher Drive.

This is in addition to 23 properties on Harbour Key Drive and Solana Key Court, as well as the Coast Hotel, which were evacuated Thursday night. Those evacuation orders are still in effect.

From Friday afternoon until early afternoon Saturday, the lake level has stopped its rapid climb and has hovered in the range of 916.35 to 916.45 feet above sea level.

The Similkameen River, which can impede the outflow of water from Osoyoos Lake when it’s high, has been steadily falling since reaching a peak of 32,300 cubic feet per second (cfs) Thursday night.

It has now fallen to 24,900 cfs as measured for the U.S. Geological Survey at Nighthawk, Washington.

While the lower Similkameen may provide some relief, climbing temperatures under a high-pressure ridge threaten to melt more snow at higher elevations.

Environment Canada is forecasting highs of 30 on Monday and 31 on Tuesday, with the rest of the week in the high 20s. This could bring further rises in the lake level next week.

Meanwhile, the B.C. River Forecast on Friday downgraded the Okanagan Valley to a Flood Watch from a Flood Warning.

“High pressure is expected to dominate over the province over the weekend and into next week,” the River Forecast Centre said Friday. “Temperatures are expected to begin to rise on Friday, entering a prolonged period of well above normal temperatures. In the Okanagan, temperatures are expected to reach the upper 20-degree range. Snowmelt rates are expected to rise, and watersheds with extensive snowpack will increase again early next week.”

RICHARD McGUIRE

Osoyoos Times