Photo: VSAR

Flooding in Grand Forks in 2018.

The provincial government has announced a new dike and drainage system to help protect Grand Fork, B.C. from flooding.

The 714-metre dike construction and 505-metre drainage system project is in the southern portion of the city and is designed to protect a 100-home neighbourhood and 17-hectare industrial area that includes the city public-works yard and wastewater treatment facility.

“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,” said Bowinn Ma, Minister of Emergency Management and Climate Readiness.

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

Grand Forks mayor Everett Baker said the community is thankful for the provincial funding.

“In addition to the original funding of $31.6 million under the Disaster Mitigation and Adaptation Fund, support from the provincial government has helped complete additional projects, keeping our city protected from future flooding events. Already, work completed has been proven out through last year’s freshet,” he said.

The province says it has provided the Grand Forks area with more than $39.1 million in flood recovery and mitigation funding since 2018.

The province says the Grand Forks Flood Mitigation Program is more than 70% complete. The program will protect the city’s core neighbourhoods, businesses, industries and critical infrastructure, while restoring nine hectares of floodplain to reduce flood risk.