2008-02-01 Relief wells along the West Dike

The City of Chilliwack will receive $650,000 in provincial funding to install 75 additional groundwater relief wells along the West Dike of the Fraser River in order to reduce the risk of dike failure during high-water flows, Chilliwack-Sumas MLA John Les and Chilliwack-Kent MLA Barry Penner announced today.

"A breach in any part of the diking system in the Fraser Valley would put lives and commerce in the region at risk," said Les, B.C.'s Solicitor General and Minister Responsible for Public Safety. "That’s why we are working with local governments to improve flood protection for our communities."

"This project will help protect homes and individuals in Chilliwack," said Penner, B.C.’s Minister of Environment. "While the Ministry of Environment closely monitors snow packs and does its best to predict river levels, it’s still vitally important to fund physical improvements to our flood protection infrastructure."

The new wells will be connected to the existing 50-well groundwater relief system that spans this 500 metre section of dike. During high-water flows, this system reduces hydraulic pressure on the dike by piping excess groundwater downstream where a pumping station carries it into the river.

The B.C. Government is selecting flood protection projects in the current fiscal year (2007/08) from two sources. Last spring a call for urgent flood protection projects drew applications from local governments. In addition, after the 2007 spring freshet local governments and provincial staff identified other urgent projects in areas with historic flooding issues or new, emerging flood threats.

All municipal governments, regional districts, diking districts and electoral areas may apply for funding under the British Columbia Flood Protection Program to build new flood protection works or improve existing ones. Ongoing management, operation and maintenance of new or existing flood protection works remain the responsibility of the local authority.

This project will be funded under the 10-year, $100 million British Columbia Flood Protection Program announced by the B.C. Government in September, 2007.