The Regional District of East Kootenay is set to begin its Regional Flood and Steep Creek Risk Assessment Prioritization Assessment, which aims to improve emergency management.
RDEK officials said consultants will be carrying identification and a letter to property owners if a specific site needs to be visited.
“The geotechnical engineering consulting contract has been awarded to BGC Engineering and members of their team will begin the fieldwork to assess terrain and creek processes,” said RDEK Protective Services Manager Fiona Dercole.“Site visits will be conducted in various locations between November 1st and 3rd. We wanted residents to be aware as our consultants may need to access specific properties as part of their geotechnical investigation.”
On top of fieldwork, officials said the team is collecting and studying previous hazard and risk assessments related to flooding and steep creeks across the region.
“Climate change is impacting the frequency and magnitude of flooding, due to changes in precipitation patterns. It is important for communities to understand flood hazards and build resilience to extreme weather events,” adds Dercole. “This project will modernize our understanding of flood and steep creek risks across the region and inform the region’s Hazard, Risk and Vulnerability Analysis, which forms the foundation of the East Kootenay Emergency Management Plan.”
The project includes all member municipalities and East Kootenay First Nations groups. It is fully funded by the National Disaster Mitigation Program.
