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Clinton receives funding to help reduce risk of flooding

Funds will be used for floodplain mapping and a flood mitigation plan
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The Village of Clinton is receiving nearly $150,000 for floodplain mapping and a flood mitigation plan. (Photo credit: Journal archives)

The Village of Clinton is among 49 B.C. First Nations and local governments that will receive provincial funding to help reduce risks from future disasters related to natural hazards and climate change.

A total of $23.4 million from the Community Emergency Preparedness Fund (CEPF) will help communities to better prepare for, mitigate, and respond to climate-related emergencies, such as floods and extreme temperatures.

Clinton will be receiving $149,150 in the “Foundational Activities (risk mapping, risk assessments, planning)” funding category. The money will go towards floodplain mapping and a flood mitigation plan.

The Village of Clinton’s Chief Administrative Officer, Murray Daly, says that a major part of the work to be undertaken involves looking at the infrastructure of the town’s sewer lagoon, in order to ensure that it won’t be compromised during high water or flooding. The sewer lagoon is on the northern edge of town near the Clinton Pioneer Cemetery.

Daly notes that nearby Clinton Creek is mostly subterranean, but could be impacted by any high water event such as high snowpack or heavy rain. There are also other significant creeks in the area that could be affected and could impact the sewer lagoon.

“We’ll be hiring technical experts to assess the situation and tell us what we need to do,” he says, adding that this is a preventative measure.

“We want to be ready for this stuff before it happens. I’m not aware of significant flooding issues in the past, but we want to ensure that our infrastructure is looked after and mitigate unnecessary risk.”

He adds that the village applied for funding last year, but the program was oversubscribed. “When it opened this year staff updated the numbers and we applied again.”

A date for starting the work has not yet been determined, with Daly saying that it will likely depend on weather and the availability of appropriate consultants.

Another community that is benefiting from funding is the City of Merritt, which was devastated by flooding from the Coldwater River during the November 2021 atmospheric river. It will be receiving $2,000,000 in the “Small Scale Structural Activities” category for Coldwater River flood mitigation, specifically a new dike from the public works yard to Canford Avenue.

“The climate crisis will continue to increase the risk of natural disasters in British Columbia over the years ahead. Local governments and First Nations are important partners in ensuring that communities are prepared for what will come, and we’re taking action to support them in this critical work,” said Bowinn Ma, Minister of Emergency Management and Climate Readiness, in a press release on Feb. 3 that announced the funding.

“The projects enabled by this funding will make a big difference for First Nations and communities throughout B.C. in their efforts to keep lives and livelihoods safe from potential disasters.”

The Disaster Risk Reduction - Climate Adaptation stream under the CEPF supports the Province’s Climate Preparedness and Adaptation Strategy. The CEPF is administered through the Union of British Columbia Municipalities (UBCM) and funds projects that strengthen the resilience of First Nations and local governments in responding to and preparing for natural disasters and climate change.

Funding may be used for:

* risk mapping, risk assessments, and planning, such as the development of a hazard map;

* land-use planning, such as amendments to relevant plans, bylaws, or policies;

* purchasing equipment, such as monitoring equipment;

* delivering community education; and

* small-scale structural projects.



editorial@accjournal.ca

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