By Tom Mark

Update: Emergency Order Ends In Armstrong

Mar 27, 2018 | 2:09 PM

A state of local emergency for the City of Armstrong has been lifted.

The order was put in place last Friday due to flooding to properties along Meighan Creek.

City staff say they will continue to monitor both Meighan and Deep creeks.

“The City continues to work with Provincial and Federal agencies to mitigate flooding issues including applications for flood mapping, risk assessment (s) and mitigation planning with the goal of implementing structural flood prevention measures,” says a city release.

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The city of Armstrong is lifting its state of local emergency this morning as Meighan Creek is posing less of threat with improved weather.

Mayor Chris Pieper says the city will continue monitoring the creek over the next couple of months.

But it can’t do any work.

“Not really. We’re still in a process of putting a plan together with various ministries. We probably won’t be able to do anything before the fall.”

Pieper says the ground is really wet and anything done along the creek would likely do more of a mess than any good.

He understands the frustration of people having to go through this year after year, but says it’s a lengthy process that involves various provincial ministries.

“We’re working on it. We’re not putting it aside or not devaluing the value of doing something along Meighan Creek. The process just takes time.”

Pieper says it’s a complex matter that involves more than just the creek flowing through town.

“Well there are serious problems with Meighan Creek and Deep Creek. We all recognize that. It’s how to solve the problem. We can’t dredge or work on a couple of hundred feet of creek and cause problems somewhere else.”

He says when the water rises, there’s flooding up and down both creeks.

Pieper says the entire Deep Creek – Meighan Creek watershed has to be assessed and worked on right from the source of the water to the discharge in Okanagan Lake.

by Tom Mark