River Road threatened, dike repairs necessary
A portion of River Road is being eroded by the Similkameen River.
Email
Print
Letter to Editor
Share
Area “G” Director Elef Christensen met with provincial Environment Minister Barry Penner at the Union of B.C. Municipalities convention held recently in Vancouver.
His meeting with Penner was an opportunity to inform the minister of damage done to Keremeos area dikes along the Similkameen that had been caused by the ice jam of 2005. To date, a dispute over who was responsible for the bill between the province and the federal government has delayed repairs.
Since 2005, the damage to the dike system has been on the rise. Of particular concern are a couple of sections of right of way along River Road that are being badly eroded.
In 2005, the Ministry of Environment assessed the areas of damage along the Similkameen and completed a detailed analysis of cost estimates on what would be required to repair the diking system. As there were a number of natural disasters that year, the province had applied to the federal government to cover what would be the majority of the costs for these repairs.
The federal government then decided that some more of the costs should be borne by the province because of the existing condition of the dikes, and an issue as to which level of government would pay - and how much - developed.
Christensen requested that the ministry revisit the issue of repairs, especially in view of the erosion that is occurring along portions of River Road. The 2005 estimate for repairs to this section of dike was $82,000.
Meetings with Environment Ministry and Fisheries officials have reached a consensus that certain repairs need to be made, especially to those portions of the dike that are breaking down along River Road. Permits will be needed from several government agencies prior to the work beginning.
v2
