While sandbags remain in place at Summerland beaches and beach access points, and while water is covering a portion of a lakeside walking trail, the worst of this year’s flooding appears to be over.
Linda Tynan, chief administrative officer for Summerland, said the water level in Okanagan Lake dropped 15 millimetres from Thursday night to Friday morning.
“We’re not expecting it to rise anymore, except for the possibility of a rainstorm,” she said.
However, she said the sandbags set up at the lake should remain in place a little longer, in case rainy weather results in flooding.
Earlier flooding at creeks in Summerland has also subsided, she said.
The flooding on Aeneas Creek, which resulted in the closure of a portion of Garnet Avenue, is now over and the road is open once again.
Devon van der Meulen, manager of utilities for the municipality, said the snow pack, which had resulted in earlier creek flooding, has now melted, except at higher elevations.
By May 15, there was no measurable snowpack at the two sites municipal crews measure. The sites are Summerland Reservoir and Isintok Lake.
Earlier this year, readings taken at the beginning of each month showed a snow pack level considerably higher than usual.
As the snow pack melted, creeks in Summerland spilled their banks.
“Both Trout Creek and Aeneas Creek are at higher levels than we’ve seen for some time,” van der Meulen said.
Summerland’s reservoirs are continuing to spill. The dam at Thirsk Lake is expected to keep spilling for at least the next several weeks.
According to statistics from the municipality, Thirsk Lake normally stops spilling any time between late June and early August, although in some wet years, water has continued to spill from the reservoir lake for the entire season.
