Twice in the last 10 years, I’ve watched BX Creek overflow its banks. BX Creek drops 4,000 feet in a very short distance and water flows from normal to high water occur in four to six hours of heavy, ongoing rain. BX Creek has no catch basin and the first place the current slows enough to clog its channel, is right where they want to bridge the creek.
This year’s high water deposited six to 24 inches of gravel and sand (alluvium) over about 10 acres of floodplain with no cost or disruption to the public. This floodplain could easily absorb five times this volume without any negative effects.
This additional gravel could be mined and used for cost recovery rather than spending more money.
With ever increasing extreme weather becoming the norm, a medium sized landslide on BX creek could spill hundreds of times the volume of alluvium compared to this years volume.
With the Stickle Road extension in place, total water flow, alluvium and woody debris will be funneled to an undersized culvert under Highway 97. It would take only three or four logs and 20 or so branches to dam the flow, spill over the highway and surprise even the experts.
We need this most important floodplain and wetland left undisturbed for future flood control.
Building anything on a floodplain is wrong and every road builder knows this. Ask anyone in High River, Alta. The public has clearly stated that we want a four-way light on Highway 97 and Stickle Road.
Please John Horgan and Andrew Weaver, give us our four-way light and bring this Liberal craziness to an end.
D. Hopkins
Vernon