B.C. hands over previously-announced $5M to Town of Oliver for repairs to canal

Photo: Town of Oliver

Gallagher Lake Siphon Repair April 2021

From many fruitless years of attempting to obtain monetary help from the federal government, the Oliver Canal is seeing the $5-million contribution from the B.C. government come through to help reroute the town's agricultural irrigation system around Gallagher Lake.

In January of 2016, a large rockfall crushed the concrete siphon and the town struggled to find funding for a permanent solution, finally taking the expense on in late 2019 and borrowing what they needed to get the fix done.

Crews have been working since November 2020 on the Oliver canal fix, replacing the temporary piping that was put in and estimating completion for April 2022. The slide damaged infrastructure that carried irrigation water to the Town of Oliver, the Osoyoos Indian Band and farms, wineries and orchards in the Regional District of the Okanagan Similkameen (RDOS).

While the funding announcement was made back in 2017, the provincial government said Friday it has now turned the money over to the town. The entire project is costing $11M, with the town paying the rest.

"The new pipes will deliver more than water to the farms, orchards and vineyards in the area," Lana Popham, Minister of Agriculture, Food and Fisheries said in a press release.

"They will also bring the peace of mind a reliable irrigation system provides growers and their families. Our ongoing partnership with the Town of Oliver represents the commitment, support and appreciation both governments have for the excellent fruit growers and winemakers in the region, and the impact they have on the community and province."

The temporary piping has delivered irrigation water since the slide, but at reduced capacity, and with vulnerabilities during hotter years with lower precipitation.

"The canal pipeline has served a critical role in delivering irrigation water to over 5,000 acres of farmland in Oliver, surrounding Area C (rural Oliver), and the Osoyoos Indian Band lands for 100 years. The 2016 rockfall significantly threatened this crucial irrigation water supply. The $11-million rerouting project is currently underway along Gallagher Lake and this $5-million provincial contribution towards this project is gratefully received by many small and large farms, orchards, wineries and businesses in the agricultural sector, " Martin Johansen, the mayor of Oliver said in a press release.

According to the town’s project update site, final preparations have been made to ensure the canal is ready to convey water for the 2021 irrigation season. They have completed a temporary canal transition from the lift station to the old canal and archaeology testing is still underway near the culturally sensitive area.