Update: Creek Dredging To Begin Soon; Study Looks At Diverting Creek

Jan 30, 2019 | 4:10 PM

UPDATE

The City of Armstrong says dredging of Meighan Creek is scheduled to begin Feb. 11th, and should be done before this year’s spring freshet.

Mayor Chris Pieper says the City has been trying to get provincial approval to do the work for some time, which he says will reduce the flood threat after two years of problems.

“The City recently tendered the work to perform the dredging, and creek remediation, ensuring work can be completed prior to this years’ spring freshet,” says a City news release from Kevin Bertles, Chief Administrative Officer.

Arise Contracting was the successful bidder for the work.

Water Shut Off Response

Fruit Growers Association call for plan to support farmers amid water shortage

15h ago

42-Unit Project

Fees waived for new supportive housing project in Vernon

16h ago

Investigation underway

One person deceased after fire at North Okanagan farm

19h ago

“The City of Armstrong Council heard the collective voice of our residents and has responded,” says the release.

Jan 29

The City of Armstrong will take a closer look at a new idea that could prevent annual problems with flooding.

Mayor Chris Pieper says a study will be done to see if water from Meighan Creek can be diverted around the city during times of high water.

“It’s one of the options we have. We have to look at all the options. That one is a good possibility,” Pieper tells Beach Radio News.

Pieper says council has approved a study, costing up to $30,000, to research the idea which would see water detoured into Deep Creek for a couple of weeks a year.

The proposal was one of the recommendations in a flood mapping and risk assessment report received by council on Monday.

“It’s a study we’ve done on Meighan and Deep Creeks to assess the impacts on our community. We know we’ve had tremendous impacts the last two years, but we had to do this as part of the application process for section 11 for the dredging of Meighan Creek. The report does a complete assessment of the watersheds of Meighan Creek and Deep Creek, and it shows the risks and costs associated with flooding in our community,” says Pieper

The mayor says the province has approved dredging on Meighan Creek, which he says will help reduce the flood threat, and could start next month.

“We got approval, finally, from the ministry (of Forests, Lands and Natural Resources) to do some work on Meighan Creek and we’re really excited about that that. We had that project out to tender and it closed last week. We are reviewing the tenders, and hopefully we’ll be able to do the dredging in February of this year before spring runoff.”

Pieper says they’ve been working on getting approval for the dredging since the summer of 2017.

by Corey Fischer