By Times Chronicle staff
To help reduce flood risk, the province is providing the Regional District of Okanagan-Similkameen (RDOS) with $100,000 to update its flood risk and hazard assessment tool.
In particular, funding is focused on flood-mitigation planning projects in several communities affected by November 2021 flooding.
This is to help them prepare for flooding during this year’s spring or early summer caused by heavy rain or melting snow, known as ‘freshet’.
The November 2021 flooding caused significant changes to the Tulameen and Similkameen rivers within the RDOS. These assessments will enable the RDOS and communities within the region to understand the updated flood hazards and flood risks from the rivers.
Work will begin immediately with the data gathered being utilized to create updated flood-mitigation plans.
“The communities affected by last year’s floods have been working hard to build back better,” said Roly Russell, MLA for Boundary-Similkameen.
“As extreme and unpredictable weather becomes more frequent, we need to do what we can to keep people and things we care about safe. I’m happy to see these communities receiving this funding so they can plan for future risk reduction, all the while using creative solutions to rebuild.”
The flood risk and hazard assessment may also be used to support applications for additional provincial or federal funding streams for disaster mitigation and climate adaptation.
Funding is provided from Emergency Management BC’s disaster mitigation budget.
