Province provides millions to Wells for flood mitigation

The District of Wells has received millions of dollars in funding from the province.

Mayor Ed Coleman says the money will be used to better protect people and improve community defenses against climate change.

“It’s 5.3 million dollars for emergency prevention for flooding. 300 thousand is for a water management plan for our area, and that’s in partnership with Lhtako Dene Nation. And then 5 million is also a partnership with Lhtako Dene Nation to do phase 2 of Lowhee Creek. Lowhee Creek has been one of our greatest flood threats over the many decades back to the 1800’s so this gives us some resources to do what we call phase 2 of Lowhee.”

Coleman says that will involve bolstering berms and doing some proper flood prevention and fish habitat network work.

He says phase 1 of Lowhee Creek was done before this year’s spring freshet.

“That took place in the holiday season from late November through to mid-February. It was called phase 1 Lowhee. And that was done under an emergency management funding request where Lowhee was really creating some challenges for us, so we were very concerned about the spring freshet. We were able to get in a fairly long prepared berm in and that was 2.1 million, so what was announced today was the continuation of that work as well.”

Coleman says they also were able to do some prevention on our sewer line and the bridge crossing in Wells on Highway 26, which allowed him to bring down the emergency status for Wells.

He says phase 2 work on Lowhee Creek will begin immediately.

“We already have some permits so we’re going to work on those, like doing the work with that, so that will be about a quarter million right away. And then we have meetings as we speak, today and tomorrow, on the other permitting with the water management branch, the dike management authority and fisheries, so we’re well into those permits right now with our engineers and environmental engineers. As soon as we get those permits then we’ll be able to continue on that work.”

Coleman says they will do as much as they can before winter arrives.

He says phase two will be done over the next 2 to 2 1/2 years.