British Columbia’s Lower Mainland Flood Strategy initiated by the Fraser Basin Council has gained sizable support from public and private sector organizations. The BC Agriculture Council, CN, CP Port Metro Vancouver and Simon Fraser University are among the industry’s organizations that have supported the multi-year initiative aimed at preventing disaster that would damage important infrastructure on the Fraser River floodplain.
The strategy, which was made public on July 15, acknowledges the insufficiency of the present flood protection measures, most of which were put in place from 1968 to 1995. According to a study conducted by the province, climate change and rising sea levels will result in high water levels and more frequent floods along the Fraser River. The risks faced by the region includes heavy rainfall and snowmelt, river flooding and ocean tsunami. When major disaster strikes, it can potentially destroy public infrastructure like ports, airports, highways and ferry terminals; waste and wastewater infrastructures; hydroelectric telecommunications and oil and gas pipelines.
Phase I of the flood management strategy, which is set to commence this year and next year, seeks to look at the region’s hazards and risks and review its practices and policies on flood management. Various studies have already been conducted as part of the project’s first phase. Phase 2 is set to take place in 2016 and will focus on funding and implementation. An important component of the plan is to ensure that flood protections in one area of the region won't create problems in another.
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