Current Issues in Managing Flood Protection Works in BC

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1 Current Issues in Managing Flood Protection Works in BC Electoral Area Directors Forum UBCM 2011 September 27, 2011 Bulkley River Dike Protects Houston BC - May 2011 Neil Peters P.Eng. Inspector of Dikes Background Dikes in BC Legislative Framework Roles and Responsibilities Provincial Dike Standards Current Issues in Managing Flood Protection Works Orphan Works Construction and Administration of New Dikes Repeal of the Drainage Ditch and Dike Act Questions? 1

2 1,100 km of dikes protect 160,000 hectares of land and 100,000 buildings. 105 local diking authorities manage 208 dikes. Frosst Creek Dike at Cultus Lake Fraser Valley Regional District Dikes are not fail safe: Ongoing inspection and maintenance is critical to dike performance. More than 40 documented dike failures in BC. Failure of the Fraser River dikes could cause tens of billions of dollars in flood damage Land Use in Flood Hazard Areas Local Governments have the authority to manage land use in flood hazard areas (e.g. Local Government Act & Land Title Act) Province sets guidelines (e.g. Flood Hazard Area Land Use Management Guidelines published under the Environmental Management Act) Flood Protection Works Dike Maintenance Act (DMA) provides framework for roles and responsibilities of province and diking authorities 2

3 Province: Sets design standards & best management practices Approves changes to dikes & new dikes Monitors management of works by diking authorities Diking Authority: Owns the dike, acquires legal access and administers dike operations Inspects, maintains, repairs and restores works Responds to flood emergencies Note: The majority of the 105 diking authorities in BC are local governments (municipalities and regional districts) Total = approx. 105 *Other Crown Agencies, industry, strata corpora7ons, First Na7ons, etc. that own and control dikes 3

4 Design and construction to contain the designated flood Certification by Professional Engineer Diking authority has full legal access/ rights of way Effective dike management program by local diking authority Orphan Works Construction and Administration of New Dikes Repeal of the Drainage Ditch and Dike Act 4

5 Works that are not being maintained by a diking authority Typically earth berms and riprap constructed under emergency conditions over the past 50 years Lack engineering design and do not meet standards Located on both private and crown land without rights of way If the works provide significant flood protection, they are considered to be dikes under the DMA Bank protection alone is not regulated under the DMA 100 orphan works in BC; approx. 60 of these are considered to be regulated dikes Total 85 km long; protect approx. 6,000 hectares of land and 2,500 buildings in 75 communities Primary concern is threat to public safety from a sudden dike breach Breach in Airport Dike September 2010 Flood Event - Bella Coola Valley 5

6 Management Principles for Orphan Dikes No new orphan dikes to be constructed (flood fighting to focus on utilizing temporary works) Repair of existing orphan dikes may be appropriate If orphan dikes are upgraded, then works must meet provincial standards (focus on long term solutions) Upgraded Wilson Road Dike 2007 Chilliwack River Fraser Valley Regional District Construction of New Dikes Must meet dike safety standards with respect to design, certification, legal access, operation and maintenance Diking Authorities for New Dikes Policy Construction of new dikes will only be approved if local government agrees to be the diking authority and has acquired legal access (rights of way) Provincial practice for over 10 years - formalized in

7 Local governments have: Emergency planning and response roles Access to senior government funding programs Project management skills Continuity Authority to acquire legal access to land Ability to integrate dike operation and maintenance with other public services (roads, drainage, water, sewer, land use regulation) Insufficient technical resources, information and support for flood hazard mitigation planning studies Existing funding programs for capital works cannot meet all needs Acquisition of legal access through expropriation is difficult (but the process is necessary to protect private property rights) 7

8 Maintenance (in-stream work and vegetation control) may require habitat mitigation or compensation Public safety concerns related to orphan dikes The need for stronger linkages between land use decisions and flood protection requirements August 2004 Debris Flow on the Kuskanook Creek Fan on Kootenay Lake The Flood Hazard Statutes Amendment Act (2003) included a section to repeal the DDDA (in December 2012) The DDDA is the legal basis for five diking districts within four local government jurisdictions: Surrey and Colebrook Diking Districts - City of Surrey Barnston Island Diking District - Metro Vancouver Regional District Coquitlam Diking District - City of Coquitlam Fortune Creek Diking District Township of Spallumcheen 8

9 The DDDA is more than 100 years old The outdated provisions of the Act impact the ability of the five remaining districts to operate/maintain the dikes The repeal transfers the diking authority responsibilities from the local taxpayer supported diking districts to their respective local governments Comprehensive assessments of the dikes and their administration are needed prior to the transfers. The ministry is pursuing possible sources of funding for these assessments. Questions? Barnston Island Dike Repairs 2007 Contact : Neil Peters (604) neil.peters@gov.bc.ca Barnston Island Diking District Metro Vancouver Regional District 9