Floodgates opened, dike breach sealed in Abbotsford, mayor says
A breach on the Sumas River dike has been sealed, but work is continuing to reinforce it, Abbotsford Mayor Henry Braun said at a news conference Sunday afternoon.
Additionally, the floodgates at the Barrowtown Pump Station are now fully opened, Braun said.
Despite this good news, however, the mayor said the city is "still a long way from being out of danger." Braun said the local state of emergency has been extended to Nov. 29.
Earlier in the day the City of Chilliwack had announced the completion of repairs at the dike in a news release lifting an evacuation alert in that city.
Braun began his remarks by highlighting the work of staff and residents near the pump station to prevent it from catastrophically failing earlier last week.
"After my visit to Barrowtown this morning, I have a whole new appreciation for just how close we came to this disaster being much, much worse," Braun said. "We came extremely close to losing this absolutely critical piece of infrastructure."
The closure of the breach in the dike and the opening of the floodgates mean that water is no longer flowing from the Sumas River into the former Sumas Lake bed. Instead, the Sumas is flowing directly into the Fraser River, as intended, and the pump station is pumping water out of the former lake and into the Fraser as well.
Work still needs to be done to increase the width and height of the repaired dike, Braun said, noting that the water level in the Sumas River is now rising because of the breach closure.
"This was a monumental task that we undertook and are still undertaking," the mayor said of the dike repair.
"The situation here remains fluid, and a key component of how well we are able to keep things moving in a positive direction is directly related to how much our weather continues to co-operate," Braun said.
Sumas Prairie resident Erik Timmermans was excited to hear about the progress on the dike.
“It’s good news,” he said.
On Saturday, volunteer Menno Koehoorn used a boat to take Timmermans to his home for the first time since the floods hit.
His cat was in need of rescue and the family needed to retrieve important items.
His property was surrounded by water and there was about eight inches of water inside his house.
“It’s just devastating to see your house being flooded and all your belongings floating around,” he said.
More than 100 Canadian Forces troops are on the ground in Abbotsford, helping to rescue livestock, fill sandbags and move people, supplies and equipment around the flooded region.
The Sumas Prairie is a 90-square-kilometre, low-lying region in southeast Abbotsford, more than two-thirds of which is the former Sumas Lake.
Floodwaters from the Nooksack River in the United States drain north via the Sumas River into the Fraser. When an atmospheric river brought heavy rain and melting snow to the Pacific Northwest last weekend, the dike that holds back the Sumas was breached in two places, flooding much of the prairie and allowing the former lake to begin reforming.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Live updates: What star witness in Trump hush money case has said on the stand so far
The star prosecution witness in Donald Trump's hush money trial took the stand Monday with testimony that could help shape the outcome of the first criminal case against an American president.
Police release 3D images of young child found in an Ontario river two years ago
Police have released a three-dimensional image of a young child whose remains were discovered in the Grand River in Dunnville, Ont. almost two years ago.
Steve Buscemi punched in the face while walking in N.Y.C.
Hollywood actor Steve Buscemi has been treated for injuries after being punched in the face while walking in New York City.
'Be very, very careful': Wildfire conditions 'still extreme,' says Alberta fire chief
As wildfire conditions remain 'extreme' in northern Alberta, residents are being urged to be extra cautious and follow a fire ban.
Wildfire smoke drifts across Canada, over parts of U.S., prompting air quality advisories
Air quality advisories are in effect across Western Canada as smoky conditions plague some areas, according to the latest forecasts. Here's where.
Canucks' Zadorov fined $5,000 for post-game crosscheck on Oilers' McDavid
A Vancouver Canucks defenceman has been given the highest possible fine under the NHL's collective bargaining agreement after a scrum broke out at the end of Game 3 against the Edmonton Oilers Sunday night.
COMING UP @ 3:30 P.M. City of Ottawa negligent in allowing Uber to operate outside of taxi bylaw, judge rules
An Ontario Superior Court judge has ruled that the City of Ottawa was negligent in its enforcement of the city's taxi bylaw when it allowed Uber to begin operating in 2014, harming the city's established taxi industry.
Jerry Seinfeld speech prompts pro-Palestinian demonstration at U.S. university graduation ceremony
A tiny contingent of Duke University graduates opposed pro-Israel comedian Jerry Seinfeld speaking at their commencement in North Carolina Sunday, with about 30 of the 7,000 students leaving their seats and chanting "free Palestine" amid a mix of boos and cheers.
Just how bad are ultraprocessed foods? Here are 5 things to know
Many foods fall under the category of ultraprocessed foods, depending on their exact ingredients. This type of food has been studied a lot lately, and the results aren’t great.