By Gagandeep Ghuman
Published: oct. 20, 2012
The sense of urgency was palpable as Brian Barnett spoke about the pending work on dike seepage.
“This is a high priority,” said the former general manager of engineering and parks.
“We will proceed with this work immediately.”
Efforts continue on the seepage project, said Greig Garland, the director of capital projects.
The pre-design work has been identified, and it involves the placement of additional dike materials on the land side of the dike to increase its width.
Construction would start in the summer of 2013.
The district, however, has been working on several flood management projects in Squamish over the past two years.
As of now, the district is completing rip-rap improvements along 390 metres of the Stawamus dike.
The Stawamus River dike was constructed by the province in the 1980s to protect the community of Valleycliffe.
The dike extends along the right bank of the Stawamus River from a bridge crossing at the Stawamus Forest Service Road to just upstream of the Little Stawamus Creek confluence.
Dike inspections following the 2003 flood had identified a section in need of flood protection.
The upgrade for the 390 metres of the dike was long overdue and first dike upgrade in over 10 years.
This work is underway south of the Mamquam Forest Service road bridge, and is scheduled to be complete by the second week of October.
Earlier this year, the district secured $442,000 in federal and provincial grant funding through the Federal Building Canada Plan – Communities Component and the Provincial EMBC Flood Protection Plan.
There are four components to this project. One of those components is the upgrading of approximately 250 m of rip rap along the Stawamus River Dike.
The other components of this grant include Whittaker Slough Flood Box, Stawamus River Riprap Upgrade, Harris Slough Pump Station, and Water Level Monitoring Station.
Dike improvements have also been slated for North Yards dike, Eagle Viewing area dike, and Judd Slough dike.
The district is also completing sedimentation management activities at the confluence of the Cheekeye River and the confluence of Mamquam and Squamish rivers.
This activity is integral part of the DOS Squamish flood.
Garland said there is $900,000 in the 2012 budget for dike work.
Nearly $1.2 million in 2013 and another $.6 million will be spent on dike improvements in 2014.
Jim Harvey says
I wonder how they will add additional rip-rap to the dyke just south of Eagle Run which is now straddled by a multi-million dollar home?