It may be structurally sound, but a deeper look at the system as a whole is important to effectively manage a large body of water and be ready for the effects of climate change.

That is what Okanagan Dam manager Shaun Reimer had to say about a recent report that the Okanagan Basin Water Board (OBWB) executive director Anna Warwick Sears submitted to the province, which asks for funding for a variety of issues, including reviewing the operating system and eventually replacing the dam located in Penticton.

Reimer said the dam is actually closer to being 70 years old but is structurally sound and seismically safe. That said, however, the whole system that manages lake levels can always benefit from a review so we can prepare for more extreme weather events.

鈥淓specially considering the age (of the dam), it鈥檚 held up pretty well,鈥� he said.

鈥淲e don鈥檛 actually have any real concerns in terms of a structural issue鈥� but considering the issues we will be having in the future, with more extreme weather events, we do really want to take a look at how well the entire system will hold up under those conditions, and we鈥檙e working towards that.鈥�

In her report, Warwick Sears said the province needs to start planning for a new one very soon.

鈥淚t is inadequate for managing future floods鈥� given the increased volume and frequency of floods as a result of climate change, and the Province of B.C. needs to begin planning for its replacement,鈥� she said.

鈥淔looding is projected to become much more common in the next few decades, damaging public and private infrastructure at great cost.鈥�

Reimer said he鈥檚 well aware of the changes in weather patterns and behaviours and is responding to it as best he can at the dam.

鈥淲ith some of the estimates of what the weather and the events that are going to happen due to climate change, going out maybe 20 or 50 years from now, then I don鈥檛 know that we would be able to manage within the confines of the existing system,鈥� he said.

鈥淭his is why we want to get ahead of it, not get caught by surprise鈥� nothing is going to be done overnight and we have to put a lot of thought into this so we do get it right in the end, so that we can address all the interests and concerns, address First Nations concerns and water supply concerns. Those will all be part of the conversation.鈥�

READ MORE: Okanagan Lake Dam called 鈥榠nadequate鈥� for flood mitigation

twila.amato@blackpress.ca
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