Abbotsford mayor ‘hopeful’ city can fend off further flooding as third storm arrives
Posted November 29, 2021 5:58 pm.
Last Updated November 30, 2021 6:35 am.
Abbotsford’s Mayor Henry Braun says — so far — the city has been spared further flooding from the overflowing Nooksack.
And with another storm upon us, he says he’s hopeful his community can get through this next atmospheric river unscathed.
“We are now through the second of the three weather events that have been forecasted to impact our community. I am pleased to share that at this point, we are holding our own,” he said at a news conference Monday.
“Over the last several days I have witnessed firsthand the results of all of the efforts that have been put forward protecting our community from further damage. I remain hopeful that we will make it through the final weather event forecast for Tuesday and Wednesday this week with only minimal impacts.”
RELATED: Abbotsford builds dam, braces for more flooding amid series of storms
For the third time in a week, B.C.’s most flood-devastated communities, including Abbotsford, are bracing themselves for another atmospheric river. The first in this series hit in mid-November, triggering the devastating floods and mudslides across southern B.C.
“Everything is holding so I think we’re in good shape. I’m quite confident that unless we get a 200 millimetre dump Tuesday and Wednesday, that’s a whole different ball game then,” Braun said.
Over the weekend, Abbotsford already got about 120 millemtres of rain. While the Fraser Valley is not in store for 200+ millimetres this time around, the forecast is still calling for quite a bit.
The region is expecting about 100 millimetres in some areas. The heaviest rain will fall on Tuesday, and this weather system is expected to last into Wednesday.
Despite his optimism, Braun is still faced with the reality of the situation his city continues to face. With floods still posing a threat, he announced on Monday that he was extending the city-wide State of Emergency for another week.
The floodgates at the city’s Barrowtown Pump Station were reopened overnight, after being closed due to high water levels in the Fraser River. That, Braun says, has provided some much-needed relief and the water level on the Sumas Prairie has dropped by two inches.
“I feel much better today than I did yesterday at this point,” he said.
Still, Braun explains based on what he’s been told by officials in bordering Whatcom County, more water from the Nooksack is expected to make its way across the border.
“We understand that flooding is still active across the border and that we will continue to experience flooding over the next few days,” the mayor added.
Evacuation orders remain in effect for parts of Huntingdon Village. The risk of mudslides prompted an order for some properties on Whatcom Road, and an alert for properties on Sandringham Road. Highway 1 remains closed between Abbotsford and Chilliwack.
An aerial look at the hard work on the Tiger Dam setup last night on #BChwy1 in #Abbotsford to hold back Sumas flood waters.
Thanks again to our crews, Canadian military, @ShxwowhamelVLP @AbbyPoliceDept @BCRCMP and the @City_Abbotsford Fire Dept, for their efforts overnight. pic.twitter.com/zTqM19IwPW— BC Transportation (@TranBC) November 30, 2021
Braun said the work of the Canadian Armed Forces has been critical in shoring up the city’s defenses, and he thanked both the federal and provincial governments for their support.
However, he stressed the importance of this support continuing as the city recovers and rebuilds.
“Once we are able to bring the floodwaters down our energy will need to be focused on rebuilding our dikes to modern standards and upgrading the Barrowtown pump station,” he said.
“Support for this vital for these vital upgrades will make the difference between us potentially dealing with another mass flooding event in the future [or not]. As we have seen Abbotsford has critical infrastructure that if it fails, has a significant impact on the economic viability of our region and our province,” he added, noting Abbotsford is the “largest agricultural producing jurisdiction in Canada on a per-acre basis.”
With files from Lasia Kretzel
