Watching the water

With a snowpack above normal and spring temperatures on the way, officials in Armstrong and Lumby are doing what they can to ensure history does not repeat itself.

Parts of both Okanagan communities were flooded last year, with Lumby being hit especially hard.

So this year, both communities are hoping for the best, but preparing for the worst.

Jeremy Sundin, Lumby deputy CAO, said many of the berms from last year's flood fight are still in place and ready to divert water should it happen again.

“Certainly we are concerned about the high snowpack and we're actively monitoring those reports from the Province,” said Sundin. “We did significant earthworks last year which are being assessed now. So, even if the water level is similar to last year we wouldn't expect to see the same effect on the community.”

Armstrong Mayor Chris Peiper said work is being done along Meighan Creek, which flooded last year, damaging several homes.

The downtown core of Armstrong was also under water, flooding several businesses.

Peiper said a lot of what will happen this spring depends on the weather.

Last year, a combination of warm spring temperatures and a lot of rain had creeks spilling their banks.

“We're trying to do something proactive before the spring runoff and we're also going to be involved in a long-term water assessment of both Duke Creek and Meighan Creek,” he said.

“We're trying to get the immediate concerns in downtown Armstrong dealt with. That's the first step."