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Penticton’s emergency centre continuing to monitor Okanagan Lake water levels

The rate of the rise is still well below both 2017 and 2020 flood levels
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Okanagan Lake in Penticton has reached full pool and will continue to rise over the next couple weeks. (Monique Tamminga Western News)

The City of Penticton is continuing to monitor water levels in Okanagan Lake after its emergency operations centre was activated on Thursday, June 16.

Even though lake levels are rising, the city says the rate of the rise is still well below both 2017 and 2020 flood levels.

In an announcement released on Saturday afternoon (June 18), the city says they’re getting assistance from B.C. Wildfire Crews with sandbag operations. A total of 10,000 bags have been prepped for reserve.

“Additionally bags have been placed around the Penticton Yacht Club located at a lower-lying level within municipal jurisdiction as an additional precautionary measure,” it reads.

“The EOC continues to monitor incoming weather and its impacts on the lake, including wave action on the shoreline.”

Per an update at 3:40 p.m. on Friday (June 17), the city’s response to the situation is categorized as a “non-emergency.”

“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 Anthony Haddad, the city’s emergency operations centre director.

There has been isolated flooding in Kelowna near Mission Creek and at the airport this week, while overland flooding south of Oliver prompted a response from the Regional District of Okanagan-Similkameen on June 16.

READ MORE: Monitoring for flooding as Okanagan Lake exceeds full pool


@lgllockhart
logan.lockhart@pentictonwesternnews.com