Flood mitigation efforts are seeing results, says the regional district.

Sportsmen’s Bowl Area

The installation of two pumps at lower Island Way Road have increased the amount of water that can be emptied directly into the Okanagan River channel.

Since the pumps began operating at 9 a.m. Wednesday morning, water levels in the Park Rill Creek oxbows have started dropping approximately 2 cm every hour.

Two pumps now pumping up to 5,000 gallons per minute from Park Rill Creek oxbows at lower Island Way Road over the dike and into the Okanagan River. channel.

The installation of the pumps is part of a larger plan to direct the water from the Sportsmen’s Bowl area along the Sportsmen’s Bowl Road, underneath Hwy 97 and into the oxbows where it can be pumped into the Okanagan River channel.

The regional district is working on plans to reduce restrictions in the creek to further increase the flow of water to the channel.

Residents currently on Evacuation Order will remain so until further notice, and those areas on Evacuation Alert should continue to be ready to evacuate should conditions deteriorate.

Willowbrook Area

The Regional District is also working on plans to redirect overland water flows in other areas of Willowbrook and an assessment of the needs at Goldtau Road will be completed on Wednesday.

Residents can learn more about the plans to mitigate flooding of the Park Rill Creek Watershed at a public information event planned for Wednesday evening at 6:30 p.m. at the Oliver Community Centre.

Residents or property owners requiring further assistance, call the Emergency Operations Centre: 250-490-4225.