Inadequate preparation

I have been dismayed to watch the flood preparation which has been occurring in the Okanagan over the last month. 

Sandbag dyke construction has been a 'bit of a washout' in many areas of the Okanagan (pun intended). Many dykes have failed.  The reason for this is improper dyke construction. 

In an effort to assist, I forwarded to both CORD, the City of Kelowna and this online news source - Castanet, a PDF file from the Government of Manitoba, a province which knows a ‘little' about flood preparation and prevention and a province in which I lived for 12 years.  This document was approximately three pages long and provided very clear instructions on correct sandbag dyke construction.  The link is here - https://www.gov.mb.ca/emo/pdfs/sandbag.pdf.  The essence of the document was that no sandbag dyke will be successful in holding back water without proper construction techniques which includes the incorporation of 6 mm polyethylene sheeting. 

I also forwarded to the same destinations a link to a video from North Dakota State University in which a member of the engineering faculty clearly demonstrated how to build a sandbag dyke using, bags, sand and poly. The link to that video is here - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-5XxJbVimQ8. This video reiterated exactly what the Government of Manitoba document stated. 

Neither CORD, the City of Kelowna nor Castanet have chosen to make this information available to the public. CORD produced a ridiculous 43 second video showing two workers laying two rows of sandbags. It is laughable in the extreme. Nowhere on the CORD emergency website, cordemergency.ca, are there instructions on how to build a proper sandbag dyke. Why has neither CORD nor the City of Kelowna chosen not use information that is readily available on the internet, information which I shared on May 12, 2017?

Castanet has demonstrated by its actions in past emergencies to be a reliable source of information for citizens of the Okanagan.  Although this information was also sent to Castanet, also on May 12, 2017, none of it has appeared on the Castanet website.  Why not?

Now that Mission Creek is threatening properties near its mouth, I suggest the public take a look at the lack of adequate protection offered by the current sandbag only dykes.  Many are leaking and leaking badly.  The fact that both CORD and the City of Kelowna continue to recommend placement of sandbags or maintenance of sandbag protection without also recommending proper construction techniques is truly regrettable.

Alan Milnes