The City of Penticton is preparing for potential flooding as water levels are expected to continue to rise.
The city recently activated its Emergency Operations Centre (EOC) to begin accessing emergency resources and coordinate preemptive measures.
While the lake levels are still within the normal range expected for this time of year, there is also expected heavy precipitation in the forecast.
“Recognizing that this will be a slow-moving event, we have plenty of time to prepare for any protective measures, should they be required over the next few weeks,” said the EOC director Anthony Haddad.
Efforts currently underway include sourcing bins and beach-ready sand to protect the lakeshore. The fire department and city crews are monitoring the lake and are preparing to armour the lakefront with sandbags or tiger dams if the water continues to rise.
READ MORE: Monitoring for flooding as Okanagan Lake exceeds full pool
Residents in low-lying properties along the Okanagan Lakeshore are asked to stay informed and can access bags and sand at Fire Hall #2 at 285 Dawson Avenue beginning June 17.
To report flooding, you can contact the City at 250-490-2400 during regular hours or after hours call 250-490-2324. Call 911 if you feel your personal safety is at risk.
The City is also taking steps to mitigate the potential of any localized flooding around the Penticton Yacht Club, which has seen flooding in the past as the lake approaches the current levels. Residents can expect to see crews sandbagging around that area over the next few days.
Anyone boating on Okanagan Lake is reminded to keep speeds down to prevent shoreline erosion.
Homes located in the low-lying areas with high groundwater may start to see water seepage into their basements due to the higher than usual lake levels.
As a preventative measure, homeowners should inspect their basement or crawl space sump pumps to ensure they are operating correctly.
Penticton also now offers an Emergency Text Notification service to alert residents about evacuation alerts and orders through their mobile phones, and registration can be done by going to www.penticton.ca/subscribe.
To report a typo, email: editor@pentictonwesternnews.com.
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