Recent flooding events around the Regional District of East Kootenay (RDEK), between June 19 and July 2, stretched emergency workers thin and forced officials to scramble to find bodies and machinery, as well as provide timely information.

The Columbia Valley, Elk Valley, Wasa area and Kimberley experienced massive and sudden rises in water levels after prolonged torrential rains joined freshet-in-flow, with numerous homes and communities impacted by flood waters, with evacuation alerts and states of emergency declared in Elkford, Fernie, Sparwood, RDEK Electoral Area A, Kimberley and Dutch Creek (Fairmont Hot Springs), while other areas such as Invermere and Canal Flats watched their waterways with concern.

The two-weeks of frantic activity left RDEK Emergency and Information officer Loree Duczek stunned at how quickly time passed.

Duczek has become adept at handling communications and coordination of action during emergencies, beginning in 2003 during the fires and then all through last year’s flooding at Wasa, landslide/flood at Fairmont Hot Springs, the July 20 wind storm in Cranbrook and area and flooding at Kimberley.

This year, Duczek found herself crisscrossing the region, rubber boots and all, from the Elk Valley to the Columbia Valley and once again to Wasa and Kimberley – along with all the resources the RDEK could muster, along with impacted municipalities, to battle the rising flood waters.

On July 5 regional directors expressed thanks and gratitude to all the volunteers and staff who helped keep things moving forward, providing relief to those affected and soon-to-be-impacted.

Electoral Area A Director Mike Sosnowski expressed his appreciate of the volunteers “who worked so diligently in that flood.” He also pointed out the efforts of local companies for providing heavy machinery and manpower.

“The whole community of the Elk Valley really responded,” he said, adding he credited Duczek and staff “for great work” and singled out the skill and effort of Jaffray-Baynes Lake Fire Department Chief Dave Boreen, who oversaw the Hosmer-area attack plan.

“It’s a really well-oiled machine and it works really well,” Sosnowski said of the RDEK’s emergency response department.

“I am really proud to have them on my team,” he said.

Electoral Area E Director Jane Walter concurred. “They continue to show great understanding and compassion,” she said.

Electoral Area F director Wendy Booth noted three creeks in the Fairmont Area (Fairmont, Cold Spring and Dutch) burst their banks – most notably the ferocious Dutch Creek which swept over its north bank and flooding the Hoodoos Resort Campground.

“It happened very quick,” she said, singling Duczek out for her response and follow-up work.

“Loree was quite impressive. I really don’t know how she slept. I’ve had no end of comment on that (good communication),” she said, noting Duczek’s updates provided “a broader understanding of the region with the community snapshots.”

District of Elkford Mayor Dean McKerracher agreed.

“I am sure Loree must be a triplet,” he said.

McKerracher outlined how a Grade 6 class from Elkford was stuck in Invermere after the Springbrook Bridge at Skookumchuck was closed due to a washout, as an example of the many situations that arose during the flooding.

Despite frighteningly high water levels on the Elk River and Boivin Creek, “we actually survived pretty well through the floods,” he said, adding the main task at hand now is to start looking into compensation options.

District of Sparwood Mayor Lois Halko said her town was “simply lucky that we avoided major community damage.”

While the Elk River posed a threat, it was Michel Creek that was the chief concern.

The creek undercut a section of the waterside four-lane section of Highway 3 east of Sparwood.

“Highway 3 takes a beating through that stretch,” Halko said. “There are huge concerns between Sparwood and the (Alberta) border. There is going to ongoing repairs at the four-lane for some time. Michel Creek did a lot of damage again.”

Board chair, Electoral Area C Director Rob Gay, said boaters will need be extra cautious as waters continue to recede and people start to take to them in greater numbers.

Between massive numbers of new snags created by a volume of trees uprooted that one regional official described as “an entire forest lost” – and intense scouring from the water and debris – the Elk River and Kootenay River will be new adventures.

“The Elk River has gained a lot of new channels,” Gay said.

Ongoing vigilance will be needed, he said.

“We can’t just say the water has gone down and move on from it,” Gay said, explaining that ongoing work will be required to address waterway issues.

Damages to residences, highways, some community infrastructure and to forest service roads – with never-before-seen lists of roads closed due to washouts, slides and bridges lost – will surely be in the tens of millions.

Village of Radium Hot Springs Mayor Dee Conklin, while noting her community was spared flooding, also said she appreciated Duczek’s steady delivery of email/social media updates.

Village of Canal Flats Mayor Ute Juras said June was “an especially terrible month,” with the loss of a village resident and friend from Alberta in an accident on the Findlay Creek Road and steady worry of flooding impacting the community located at the narrow flat separating the Kootenay River and Columbia River systems, including fears of a breach of the sewage lagoons.

“When I had concerns they were immediately” by staff, she said.

Juras said the community remains on pins and needles concerning the missing young men, believed lost after the truck they were riding in entered Findlay Creek June 9.

“We are hoping (they are) found soon,” she said. “It’s a community holding its breath.”

Ian Cobb/e-KNOW

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