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Grant assists with flood risk management in Columbia River watershed

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18838504_web1_171121-PQN-M-sandbags-file-nov23
Sandbags are one of the ways communities prevent flooding from damaging homes. Black Press photo

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The Columbia Shuswap Regional District (CSRD) will be developing a new tool to help manage flood risk in the Columbia River watershed thanks to a grant from the National Disaster Mitigation Program.

The project will support the development of a comprehensive, up-to-date, searchable database of flood hazard for the Columbia River watershed area. The work will identify gaps in flood risk and support decision-making for future land use planning.

The total value of the project is $315,000, with $150,000 coming from the Federal government, $150,000 from the Province and a $15,000 contribution from the CSRD.

Flooding is Canada’s most frequent natural disaster, and the most costly. This project is designed to help formulate solutions to mitigate the costs and damages caused by flooding to businesses and residents.

“People throughout B.C. continue to be affected by significant flooding events and we must do what we can to help prepare and plan ahead to mitigate risk,” said Mike Farnworth, Minister of Public Safety and Solicitor General. “It’s critical for public safety that we work in partnership with all levels of government to support those people who need it, and help impacted communities become as resilient as possible in the face of natural disasters.”

Work on the one-year project has already begun and the database completion is expected in the spring of 2020.