The City of Penticton is reporting that the flood threat at Red Wing Resort is now critical.
City engineer Mitch Moroziuk says immediate action is needed to reinforce the protective structure built on the weekend.
The wall is holding but the water level is quickly approaching the spillover point on parts of the structure. It must be raised immediately or a large section of the community will flood, according to Moroziuk.
The city took action last Sunday when the waters breached the original structure located in a low-lying area of the gated community.
Since then Mark Woods, community services manager for the Regional District of Okanagan-Similkameen, took over efforts to protect the Redwing community.
A section of Tiger Dam was installed earlier this week on a large, unprotected section of Redwing but increasing water levels have raised the alarm again.
Penticton city officials contacted the RDOS this morning to report the situation and the district is dispatching crews to add additional protection to the areas at risk. Red Wing is part of the district’s Area F.
Penticton CAO Peter Weeber said the city received criticism for taking action on the weekend, but city council is clear that if neighbouring areas need help, Penticton will respond.
“The RDOS is now the lead agency and has done a great job this week protecting the rest of the Red Wing community. The city is available to assist if needed,” said Weeber in an email.