Some residents in and around Cawston are worried about the dike and its ability to handle rushing water this freshet.
Dave Cursons from Cawston sent the Review photos from the dike along the Similkameen River at the Art Wainwright Nature Reserve and raised concerns about mediation work that has been done so far.
“In 2017 this portion of the dike at The Art Wainwright Nature Reserve gave way. Behind the dike at this point is the reserve and then numerous
farmsteads into Cawston townsite,” he stated in his communication with the Review. “Since the 2017 posting of about 30 metres of mesh on steel rods with a CAUTION tape there has been no new riv wrapping deposited.”
The Review contacted Area B director George Bush to talk about the dike and its current state.
“It’s just that it’s getting deteriorated and eaten away,” Bush said. “It needs repairing and probably this is the year it should get done, for sure.”
Bush said he’s been in contact with staff from the Ministry of Forests, Lands and Natural Resource Operations in the last few days.
“FLNRO contacted me on Friday and verbally gave us the okay to get regional district to go ahead with it through the Emergency Operation Centre. There’s plans to fix it up before freshet happens whether they get done or not, we’ll see. There’s a lot happening and I don’t know if they’ll get to it in time.”