Flood Protection
Our Flood Protection System Flood Response Today
Funding the Flood Protection System
Parts of North Cowichan, the City of Duncan, CVRD Areas D and E, and Cowichan Tribes Reserve lands are located in areas that flood frequently. In November 2009, a 7 year flood event overtopped Lakes Road and resulted in the evacuation of approximately 300 homes, costing approximately $810,000.
Since then, local governments and Cowichan Tribes have been implementing an Integrated Flood Management Plan, which recommended raising existing dikes, constructing new dikes, and regularly removing gravel and log jams from the Cowichan River. Flood protection measures have been completed in several phases, which are extensively described in the page Our Flood Protection System.
Despite the major investment into flood protection works over nearly a decade, small, localized flooding still occurs in certain areas. In some cases, this is because gaps had to be left in the flood protection system for roads, and in other cases this is because of high water outside of the diking/pumping system. Key areas in North Cowichan require that action be taken in the event of a flood are described in detail on the page Flood Response Today, and are summarized here:
- Tzouhalem Road
- Lakes Road
- Trans-Canada Highway
- Canada Avenue
- Mary Street
- Rosewood Avenue
- Seine Road
- Pinson's Corner (at intersection of Crofton and Chemainus Road)
More Info
Anyone who has questions about the flood protection system is encouraged to contact engineering@northcowichan.ca or call (250) 746-3128 to learn more.
