Photo: Contributed

After unprecedented water levels in Mission Creek this spring, repairs will be needed to embankments on a newly constructed flood plain. 

Crews will be working next week to repair phase one of the Mission Creek restoration initiative project, which was built to restore the flood plain and fish habitat. It is located on the south side of the creek between Casorso Road and Gordon Drive in Kelowna.

Phase one was completed last year, but organizers say they were prepared for an unusual season.

“We knew it would come, we just didn’t know when ... It’s probably close to a 100-200 year event," said Steve Matthews, project co-ordinator. “We planned for it with an adaptive management plan where we would go back in and make any necessary adjustments following a freshet like this."

In a news release, the group stated its plan to adjust three of four meander notches in the floodplain, which were constructed to provide spawning and rearing habitat for kokanee and rainbow trout.

Additional repair work will take place in October.  

"It’s important for people to understand that this wasn’t a complete surprise. We figured there would be changes that would occur as a result of the freshet flows," said Matthews. 

There won't be any additional tax burden for the work, as all funding comes from partners that generate their own revenue.