UPDATED 1:53 P.M.
The BC River Forecast has indicated there is the potential for Okanagan Lake to increase to 343.15 m. Environment Canada reported Okanagan Lake reached 343.05 at 11:25 a.m. on May 27.
This is a five-cm rise since May 26 at 4 a.m. when the lake level was reported as 343 m.
People are reminded to leave flood protection measures in place and bolster them in preparation for high water and possible windy conditions. High lake levels and variable weather conditions are expected to persist for the foreseeable future.
The flows in Mission Creek are expected to increase significantly over the next few days with the forecasted hot weather. Crews are monitoring the area and evaluating options for further protection between Lakeshore Bridge and the mouth of Okanagan Lake.
Residents living along Mission Creek, especially those closer to the lake, are urged to reinforce the flood protection around their properties, due to increasing lake levels and potential for back water effect.
Sand and sand bag locations can be found on cordemergency.ca.
Sand is continually being replenished.
Things are calm on Okanagan Lake at the moment, but that could change.
Carla Weeden, with the CORD emergency operations centre, said the lake rose by only one centimetre overnight.
That's the good news.
The bad news is hot weather is expected to settle in over the next few days and that will cause snow at higher elevations to melt
“It will take a while for the hot weather to create higher flows,” said Weeden.
But with the lake already threatening to flood much of the waterfront, any increase in lake level could be problematic.
“We are anticipating Mission Creek flows could go almost triple its regular flow. There is still lots of snow to come down from higher elevations,” said Weeden.
But the mid and low-level snowpack that feeds smaller creeks is already gone.
Weeden said Environment Canada is calling for a wind event later in the week, and that has officials concerned.
High winds last Tuesday caused flooding and damage up and down the Valley and Weeden said another similar event is possible.
“We are already 11 cm above Tuesday's storm and the lake could go up anther 10-15 cm, so we could be 25 cm above where we were last week,” she said. “But things could change and it might not be a concern.”
What is a concern is boaters.
Weeden said with the onset of warm weather, people will want to take their boats out and that could be bad for residents and boaters alike.
Weeden said officials are not recommending people go boating for three reasons: debris, submerged infrastructure (docks) people can't see and the damage the boat wakes could cause to the shoreline and to properties on the threshold of flooding.
The wake generated by a boat will hit the shoreline with similar force to the waves kicked up by high winds.