Assessing unstable slope

Photo: City of Kelowna

Tension cracks observed at Canyon Falls Trail landslide

The City of Kelowna is proposing to shuffle some money around in order to begin assessing slope instability at Canyon Falls Park.

The trail leading to the falls, then the entire park itself, were closed due to slope instability.

Staff contend there is an "urgent need to undertake a geotechnical slope stability investigation along Bellevue Creek within Canyon Falls Park.

"The immediate need is for $125,000 to undertake the study, do the risk assessment and develop a preliminary design and cost estimate for the mitigation," staff indicated in a report for council.

The money would be shifted from the reserve for the Gopher Creek Pre-Design and Land Acquisition capital project.

The geotechnical investigation would include risk assessment, and develop a preliminary design and cost estimate for the mitigation.

Safety improvements were made to the trail in 2016-2017, but in March of last year, staff say excessive groundwater triggered some slope instability and a localized landslide failure occurred.

They further indicate continued erosion of the creek bank could trigger a landslide, which could seriously impact the existing and future development of the park, the proposed South Perimeter Road and cause a debris blockage (landslide dam) in Bellevue Creek that could result in significant damage downstream.

Mitigation work could eventually cost $1 million, or more.