As the May long weekend approaches, the Regional District of Kootenay Boundary (RDKB) is asking residents in the west Boundary communities of Westbridge, Beaverdell and Rock Creek to prepare for high water levels.
“We have identified the West Kettle system as a place to watch right now because we know from past storms this year that this drainage reacts to rainfall in the headwaters at Big White and at higher elevations above Christian Valley,” said Mark Stephens, Emergency Operations Centre Director for the RDKB. “Residents of all these West Boundary communities are going to see higher flows and we want anyone who is in those really low-lying areas to have access to sand and sandbags as we head into the weekend.”
On Tuesday, Environment Canada issued a Special Weather Statement for southern B.C. with the anticipation of 5 to 30 millimetres of rain across for the next few days.
 Residents can pick up sandbags and sand free of charge at the following locations:
- Beaverdell behind the Fire Hall
- Westbridge Hall
- Rock Creek Community Hub
“We can reassure Boundary residents that we don’t have the snowpack we had in 2018,” added Stephens. “With these sandbag sites open now, we want to be sure that residents have time to prepare for some possible flooding while maintaining physical distance from others.”
Residents must bring their own tools and equipment (shovels, transportation) and respect a physical distance of two metres (six feet) between workers as they fill sandbags.
