Evacuation orders could be lifted Monday for some Cache Creek residents

Photo: Kristen Holliday

Excavator crews worked over Saturday to cut open the culvert under Quartz Road to release a blockage. Crews also constructed a berm east of the road, which has contained waterway through town.

UPDATE 7:00 p.m.

Some evacuation orders may be lifted soon in Cache Creek.

In its latest update, the Village of Cache Creek states that properties under evacuation order were assessed for safety, stability, and steps towards recovery on Sunday.

"Members of the fire department looked at the properties with these considerations in mind, and some of the orders may be lifted tomorrow," said the statement from the village.

Currently, 22 properties are under evacuation order, while 11 are on evacuation alert. The RCMP and private security are monitoring the properties day and night.

The state of local emergency for the Village of Cache Creek has been extended to May 13, as water levels in the Bonaparte River are beginning to rise again. Village crews are keeping a close eye on the river and preparing for a possible breach.

All highways are now open to single-lane alternating traffic. Drivers are reminded to be mindful of heavy equipment working on the highway and to watch for flaggers.

Stage Road is closed between Quartz Road and Maclean Crescent to all but emergency vehicles and residents accessing their homes. The temporary road on the "old Drive-In" property west of Highway 97 is for emergency vehicles only, and the gate across the road will be locked henceforth.

UPDATE: 10:10 a.m.

Cache Creek excavator crews worked Saturday to construct a large berm that has contained the flooding waterway through town.

Mayor John Ranta said that while the two excavators had failed to clear the blockage from the culvert under Quartz Road, the berm constructed east of the culvert has bypassed the blockage and is keeping the water off the road.

“They've done a heck of a good job and they have the the water confined to the channel now,” said Ranta.

He added that he hopes the berm will help contain the waterway if additional rain falls.

“Hopefully that will keep the Cache Creek within its channel in spite of the rain, and we'll have to see what happens with the Bonaparte River,” said Ranta.

Wendy Coomber, information officer with the Cache Creek Emergency Operations Centre, said it has been raining steadily in the area, which will most likely cause the river to rise above its banks again.

“It's been raining steadily since Friday, so of course the river is starting to rise. We are keeping an eye on that,” said Coomber.

“We've had BC wildfire crews in town for the last two to three days to place sandbags along the river behind people's property and just getting ready for what is probably the inevitable rise up past the banks in the next few days.”

Coomber said the Cache Creek EOC is also preparing to work on property assessments next week to help property owners apply for Disaster Financial Assistance.

She said this will also help determine if the evacuation orders will remain or be lifted.

ORIGINAL: 4 a.m.

Cache Creek crews worked to cut open a culvert near the village firehall on Saturday in hopes of removing a blockage that has worsened flooding in the area.

Mayor John Ranta said a few excavators from the community's landfill were sent to the culvert under Quartz Road on Saturday afternoon.

“They're down there working and building a berm and excavating the Cache Creek stream bed, and they've taken the asphalt off Quartz Road over top of where the culvert is, because the culvert appears to be quite blocked,” Ranta said.

“What we're going to do is cut the top half of the culvert off, and see if we can open up that blockage and create a channel for the water to go down.”

Ranta said it was raining in Cache Creek early in the day Saturday, but the precipitation tapered off in the evening.

Wendy Coomber, information officer with the Cache Creek Emergency Operations Centre, said there was plenty of activity in the village on Saturday, with residents and work crews sandbagging along Cache Creek and the Bonaparte River in anticipation of inclement weather.

“With the rain of course, the river is expected to be rising at least a little bit," she said.

"So we want to be prepared for that."

A state of local emergency has been extended for the village until May 13.

“Life and property remain at risk due to a flooding event in the Village of Cache Creek, and response to this flooding continues to require use of the emergency powers,” said a statement from the village.

According to the village, as of Saturday evening, 21 properties within municipal boundaries were on evacuation order and 12 were on evacuation alert.

Upstream from village limits, Stephen Case, a resident on Back Valley Road, told Castanet Kamloops some homes had their gas turned off on Saturday due to high water levels, meaning some locals were going without heat and hot water.

Case said rain is causing continued damage to unprotected creek banks in the Back Valley Road area, and heavy water flow and debris carried by the rushing Cache Creek continues to pose a challenge to residents and crews working to protect property and infrastructure.