Vernon Creek Drainage Basin Will Receive Flood protection

The City of Vernon has qualified for funding under the Building Canada Fund - Communities Component (BCF-CC) Flood Protection Program.

Estimated Project Cost: $960,000

Grant funding: $640,000

Balance: $320,000 (City share) of the project is to be funded as follows: Development Cost Charges: $270,000 approximately & $50,000 approximately from existing reserves or approved 2011 carry-over budget.

The proposed project is the first of approximately four phases of a storm-water control (flood control) and wetland enhancement project located in the lower reaches of Vernon Creek drainage basin. The project is the result of many years of planning and engineering that has allowed the City to secure both private and City owned lands for the proposed works and also identify works on future development lands that will be constructed with redevelopment in the area.

See map of area

The works were originally proposed at a conceptual level in the City's 2001 Master Drainage Plan, for the purpose of flood protection, and further refined through a series of engineering, planning and basin studies.

The project includes construction of infrastructure for flood protection including significant concrete structures and pipe works. The first phase of the project includes construction of approximately 170 lineal meters of 1200 mm diameter culvert, flow diversion structures, associated channel construction including rip rap channel, sedimentation/detention basin, wetland areas for flow attenuation and bio-treatment, and associated works.

Rob Dickinson, Manager, Engineering & GIS says, "The project will limit flooding by providing facilities for conveyance of major storm flows, attenuation of higher flows, sediment removal and floodplain connectivity. A secondary benefit of the project will be a higher level of treatment of water in the basin (metals and deleterious substances) through the use of engineered wetlands. The project will also provide habitat protection and enhancement for blue and red listed species. We still need to go through the environmental approvals process, but we have qualified for the grant and all related costs incurred will now be grant-eligible."