The Regional District of Okanagan Similkameen (RDOS) is looking to increase the annual operating levy for the Chain Lake dam north of Princeton by more than double.
The dam has deteriorated in the spillway section, with large cracks running the length of it and repairs needed in the immediate future.
Board directors on Thursday, Feb. 20, will weigh whether to approve a change to the requisition limit to raise it from $10,000 to a maximum of $24,000 to cover costs after the repairs are done.
The $24,000 is simply a maximum limit and not necessarily how much the levy will be for residents who pay into the service for the dam and diversion.
The previous limit has been in place since at least 1993, and the increase is stated by staff as necessary to cover expected increases in operational costs after the necessary repairs.
The RDOS board in October of 2024 gave its first three readings to amend the service bylaw and request approval from the province to borrow up to $700,000 to complete emergency repairs on the dam and replace the spillway.
Safety audits and a recent safety inspection said the damage is a potential hazardous condition and needs immediate repairs according to the Oct. 3 staff report.
The board also directed staff to get approval from residents through mailed-out petitions, as the area lacks a community hall and many residents do not live in the area year-round.
The results of the petition process and the decision of the 65 property owners have not yet been released.
The only alternative if the loan is not approved by either the province or residents in the area will be to decommission the dam.
Staff noted in the Feb. 20 report that while the current dam has a large portion of work done by volunteers, after the repairs public works staff may need to attend more frequently to meet monitoring and reporting requirements.
The increase would also contribute to a reserve fund for future upgrades for the dam and spillway.
