Columbia Shuswap Regional District directors are resolute in their belief that flood management remains a provincial responsibility, just as it is with wild land interface fires.
Directors at last week’s board meeting in Salmon Arm unanimously approved a resolution that will be sent to the Southern Interior Local Government Association for consideration at their convention in May.
The issue arose from widespread flooding experienced in the Shuswap last spring.
“In the aftermath of the flooding in Sicamous and Swansea Point, various provincial officials indicated that the local authority is responsible for carrying out flood protection and mitigation works,” wrote chief administrative officer Charles Hamilton in his report to the board, pointing out this position is contrary to board policy W-5, which states the regional district will not respond to flooding events. “The issues relating to a local government providing flood management to Crown waterways are numerous and include the process for establishing the service, determining who would fund the service, the method of taxation and acquiring the necessary expertise to manage such flood incidents, to name a few.”
Following discussion with staff from CSRD and the Regional District of North Okanagan and senior government officials, it was recommended that a joint resolution be sent to SILGA.
Just as Victoria assumes incident command and provides on-site response for wildfires, the resolution notes overland flooding has “potentially profound adverse consequences in terms of public safety, private and public property interests, economic prosperity and public infrastructure.”
Also noted is the fact the province is the steward of water resources in B.C. and local authorities lack the mandate, statutory jurisdiction, financial and technical resources, equipment and the staff necessary to provide emergency site response, mitigation and flood remediation works.
The resolution, which will be forwarded to the Union of British Columbia Municipalities (UBCM) as well, asks that the province “take immediate and direct responsibility for flood management including but not limited to:
• Incident command during emergency flooding events
• Identification of flood related hazards
• Remediation of stream channels so as to mitigate future flooding
• Monitor stream flows and levels in waterways posing a risk to life, safety or property
• Respond to sudden cessation of stream flows or reports of debris dams, executing tactical evacuations when warranted and communicate with the emergency operations centre.”
Rhona Martin, Area E Rural Sicamous director and past president of SILGA, asked for board support for the resolution, maintaining there are concerns about other waterways as well.
She said the province needs to be pressured to make sure work is being done to monitor the issues.
CSRD chair Dave Raven asked if the regional districts of the east and central Kootenays should be included in the resolution, something the board agreed to unanimously.