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South Okanagan Photos

OK Falls dirt piles – is there a solution?

 

pix22Government Response to RDOS:

Your letter of August 20 regarding concerns related to dust originating from Shuttleworth Creek sediment removal and stockpiling has been referred to me for a response.

Since the 1960’s, the Public Safety and Protection Division of Ministry of Forests, Lands and Natural Resource Operations has been removing and storing silt from a sediment catchment basin in order to mitigate the risk of significant siltation of the Okanagan River from the Shuttleworth system. This practice is effective in mitigating the risk of significant impact to spawning Salmon stocks in the Okanagan River. This work typically occurs once every seven to ten years and the practice of onsite storage represents a significant costs saving for the province.

Please be aware that the Public Safety and Protection Division is aware of the residents concern and is working to implement airborne silt mitigation measures.

Measures currently being implemented include fencing where it is deemed to be effective. The division is also exploring opportunities to establish vegetation on the sediment piles, and this work may be initiated as early as this fall.

Regarding the feasibility of including the stockpiling and works area (approximately one hectare), please be advised that as dredging activities will be ongoing for the foreseeable future, this Crown land parcel will continue to be utilized for these efforts.

Steve Thomson Minister

Earlier on ODN

A mess behind the old sewage plant that lies near Okanagan River in Okanagan Falls (pictured above).

Many people in the Cedar Street area have petitioned local MLA Linda Larson to get something done about the mess, the dust and the futility of digging out a creek bed to have it fill back up with silt.

The creek is Shuttleworth Creek and the Ministry of the Environment cleaned up the lower end of the waterway earlier this year but left the tailings to blow in the wind all over a fairly heavy populated area of the Falls. The dredging was intended to give the lower end of the creek some extra capacity during spring run-off.

The RDOS board will write to Environment Minister Mary Polak and seek redress for the situation – copy the MLA.

Director Tom Siddon brought the 100 name petition to a board meeting today in Penticton.