Evacuation order rescinded for Crawford Creek, Duhamel Creek, Salmo/Ymir
By Nelson Daily Staff
Monday morning the Regional District of Central Kootenay (RDCK)rescinded the evacuation orders for Crawford Creek (Crawford Bay) in electoral Area A, Duhamel Creek (Nelson) in electoral Area F, and Salmo/Ymir in electoral Area G.
The original evacuation order for the area was issued over the weekend; however, the RDCK said overnight our creeks and rivers have begun to recede and flow rates have reduced throughout the region allowing the order to be lifted.
These areas remain under evacuation alert.
The RDCK said residents will be allowed to return to their homes, but are reminded to practice extreme caution.
“The storm system that passed through our region this weekend caused havoc on our water systems, but has cycled through and water levels in our smaller creeks and tributaries are back to pre-storm levels, while the Slocan River and Salmo River, our larger systems, will continue to decrease throughout the day,” said Chris Johnson, RDCK Emergency Operations Centre (EOC) Director.
The RDCK said the potential impact in the area from flooding can include contaminated flood water, debris, and riverbanks either undermined or undercut. Be aware of any hazards when returning to your property and proceed with caution.
Anyone with any issues with public roads, power lines, or gas lines, please contact Yellow Road and Bridge 1-888-630-1420, BC Hydro 1-800-224-9376 or Fortis BC 1-800-663-9911 directly.
The RDCK said it’s important to note that while the waters have begun to recede, the event that occurred this past weekend will have had significant impacts throughout the region.
This includes the possibility of debris floods and flows, landslides, logjams, culvert blockages and general erosion along banks, so it is necessary for residents to be aware of the potential danger and practice caution.
Any communities checking on water systems or water boxes need to be aware of all danger. Some areas will even still be flooded.
“It is important for everyone to exercise extreme caution near streams, creeks, and rivers as it is difficult to fully understand the extent of the changes or damages to our systems.”
Due to extreme heat and snowmelt, followed by severe thunderstorms and precipitation this weekend, the RDCK faced unprecedented water levels in rivers and creeks throughout the region with over 500 homes evacuated.
Expectation is with cooler temperatures and no precipitation in the immediate forecast, water levels will continue to recede. Everyone is advised to stay away from riverbanks and fast-flowing water.
Crawford Bay Transfer Station Closed Due To Flooding
The RDCK Crawford Bay Transfer Station, located at 16798 Crawford Creek Road will be closed indefinitely.
Recent weather events, and flooding of Preacher Creek have washed out portions of Crawford Creek Road, currently leaving the transfer station inaccessible.
The RDCK said sesidents are being asked to take their waste and recycling to the Boswell Transfer station, currently open Wednesday and Saturday – 11 a.m. – 3 p.m., located at 12575 Hepher Road.
More details on the Boswell Transfer Station can be found here.
The RDCK will consider extending the hours of operation at the Boswell Transfer Station, pending demand and available resources. Details surrounding the re-opening of the Crawford Bay Transfer station will be posted on our website, here.
An evacuation order was issued for the Crawford Creek drainage area Saturday May 30 due to flooding and rescinded Monday June 1.
However, despite residents being allowed back to their homes, the RDCK is still trying to assess the area for damage or any other issues due to flooding.
For information about support after being impacted by such an event please monitor the RDCK website for details.
For more information about evacuations and emergency preparedness, along with other resources, please visit the RDCK website or the PreparedBC website. The RDCK EOC public enquiry line is 250-352-1572.
