Preparedness and protection remained topics of interest at this week’s Boundary Flood Recovery Update Meeting. The evening began with a run-down on data collecting methods that track weather and snow-pack.
Paul Edmonds with the Recovery Team says a prevention-event could be coming soon:
“Around about is it April the 8th? Around about that sort of time we’re going to have a prevention event where there’s going to be a week-long or a series of events hosted within the community talking about preparedness and examples of preparedness, so we’re just starting to plan that as we go forward.”
Edmonds is collecting data on last year’s flood to help prepare for the future. Two flood-related checklists are set to be made available through the RDBK or Flood Recovery Team. Another dominating topic of discussion is proposed projects, which still require funding through the Disaster Mitigation and Adaption Fund and National Disaster Mitigation Program.
Recovery Manager Graham Watt explains:
“All of this is in two different grant proposals right now, the downtown East-side one we expect to hear in March as it’s a one year time window from April to next March, where as the large one for the rest of the project areas we will hear either in either April or May.”
Watt says some of the proposed projects are more urgent than others:
“Some of the high-priority work that were identified as needing to start this year is the bank stabilization in Johnson Flats where there is heavy erosion on the West and the South end. There’s a few spots there where the river wants to take away the peninsula, and that’s a priority to work on for this Fall when we’re able to get into the river.”
Another urgent project is downtown dike work, which is planned to start in June and end early 2021. A 5 year time window of all proposed projects is available online. Property acquisitions and negotiations would start this Spring and carry on through 2020. North Ruckle dike work would also begin June 2019 and run into 2021. South Ruckle dike work would start in fall 2020 and carry into 2022.
For the full schedule and more details click here.
To read about the last BFR Update Meeting click here.