Okanagan Lake levels may be in a period of fluctuation but officials say flood concerns remain very real and residents should keep protection measures in place with the lake at a historic high.
This morning Environment and Climate Change Canada pegged Okanagan Lake at 343.244 metres above sea level, down seven-tenths of a centimetre compared to 343.250 metres yesterday morning.
Today, Kalamalka Lake is reported at 392.427 metres, down 1.3 centimetres from yesterday’s level of 392.440 metres.
“These slight decreases are good to see, but one day does not make a trend,” stated Central Okanagan Emergency Operations. “We’re still very much at the mercy of the weather. With lakes still at extraordinarily high levels, we’ve seen what damage wind-driven waves can do.”
Emergency official say private property owners should continue to follow the lead of local government works crews by reviewing their flood protection and defences daily; repairing, replacing and fortifying them as needed.
There are also ongoing issues with the high water table which can’t be forgotten. Property owners need to keep their flood defences in place, officials say.
This is still a very active emergency response and even though area lakes may not have crested, some staff at the Emergency Operations Centre are looking to the future and are working and planning for demobilization and recovery. Officials will continue to assess lake levels and determine the best methods for incrementally over time, removing protection measures to match the appropriate corresponding decrease in lake levels.
Boating and watercraft activities continue to be discouraged due to potential hazards with floating and submerged debris and newly installed log booms along the Manhattan Point shoreline.
All other evacuation alerts and orders remain in effect. Check out the map at www.cordemergency.ca/map and search by address to determine if an area is under alert or order, or to find the closest sand and sandbag loations.
For more information call the information line at 250-469-8490.