A Narrow assessment

Photo: sicamouschamber.bc.ca

As part of the public safety funding announced in February, the province is committing $33,000 toward an assessment of the flood risk around Mara Lake shores.

The District of Sicamous, which will fund the remaining balance of the project that is estimated to cost $50,000, plans to examine the hydrology and sediment source around Sicamous Narrows and determine remedies to improve flow from Mara Lake through the narrows.

In recent years, Sicamous Narrows, which drains the Mara Lake basin, has been infilling with sediment and debris, causing water levels to elevate in the lake, especially during storms and freshet. Close to 200 properties, including several businesses, are in the unincorporated communities of Mara, Swansea Point and Six Mile Point, and concerns about the flooding risk are increasing.

In February, the B.C. government announced $65 million in initiatives to help keep communities safe, including $15 million for public safety preparedness initiatives and $50 million for community hazard mitigation projects, such as upgrades to dikes and flood protection.

Since 2008, the province has invested in 156 projects worth $145 million ($62 million has been provided provincially, $46 million federally and $37 million in funding from local authorities).