Dike and Drainage Projects to Upgrade Flood Resilience in Grand Forks

People, property, and businesses in and around Grand Forks will soon be further protected from floodwaters, according to a statement from the B.C. government.

This protection will come thanks to the construction of a new dike and drainage system.

The construction project marks the latest component of the City of Grand Forks’ flood mitigation program, which follows the disaster of 2018.

It was that spring when heavy winter snowpack, warm seasonal temperatures, and sustained rainfall combined to raise the Kettle and Granby rivers to a 200-year high.

“Grand Forks was devastated by flooding in May 2018, when about one-third of the city’s 4,000 residents were forced to evacuate their homes, among thousands throughout the Boundary region,” recalls Bowinn Ma, Minister of Emergency Management and Climate Readiness.

Last year, similar conditions emerged, but with much less impact on the region.

“The flood-mitigation work we have done with the city since 2018 paid off in a big way last year, preventing what could have been very serious flooding,” Ma believes.

The 700-metre dike construction and 500-metre drainage system project in the southern portion of the city is designed to protect a 100-home neighbourhood and 17-hectare industrial area that includes the city public-works yard and wastewater treatment facility, according to the Minister.

“This latest project will strengthen Grand Forks even further against future high-water events, better protecting people for years to come,” Ma said.

The Province has provided more than $39 million in flood recovery and mitigation in Grand Forks and surrounding area since 2018.

“I want to express my appreciation for the continued support from the Province,” stated Everett Baker, mayor of Grand Forks.

Currently, the Grand Forks Flood Mitigation Program is 70% complete.

“The accomplishments of the community, in partnership with government, are remarkable and a testament to the value of collaboration between and among individuals, organizations and all levels of government,” stated Roly Russell, MLA for Boundary-Similkameen and Parliamentary Secretary for Rural Development.