Phase 2 of Casa Loma Drainage Improvements is estimated to cost $700,000. On January 15, 2013 Council gave early budget approval to the project to allow staff to begin planning and design.
District of West Kelowna hosted a public meeting with Casa Loma residents on April 30, 2013 to discuss Phase 2 of the Casa Loma Drainage Project. Following that meeting, Council directed that the Casa Loma project be deferred pending receipt of a petition of support from the majority of Casa Loma residents in the affected area by June 30, 2013.
After a flooding event in August 2011 and receiving concerns from area residents, Council directed that a review of Casa Loma drainage be conducted and ultimately proceeded with a two-phase approach to addressing drainage concerns in the area. Below are links to staff reports and a report from the District's consultant, RSB Engineering, regarding Casa Loma drainage:
PHASE 1 COMPLETED
Phase 1 of the Casa Loma Drainage Project was finished in the fall of 2012. Substantial performance was advertised in the Westside Weekly on December 16, 2012.
Casa Loma drainage improvements are creating cost effective flood mitigation measures in this lake side and hillside neighbourhood, which is located near the end of Campbell Road in the District of West Kelowna.
PROJECT SUMMARY
Phase 1 drainage measures included:
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Digging ditches of various depths along the public road right of way; and,
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Dressing the ditches with top soil, rip rap and turf in varying degrees and sections to control the flow of water and create a more natural esthetic.
The ditches were required due to:
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The road height in relation to the lower shoulders;
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The high volumes of water that could overwhelm pipes and catch basins during severe torrential rain storms in the Okanagan; and,
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The high cost of installing curbs, gutters and underground infrastructure.
PROJECT DETAILS
From October through December 2012, Phase 1 construction was completed on several drainage mitigation measures designed to effectively control significant water flows, which occur in the Casa Loma neighbourhood, during heavy storm events, also known as torrential rains. Severe torrential rains occur on rare occasion in the Okanagan Basin; but when they do occur, the storms deposit significant amounts of water in a short period of time, overwhelming storm drainage systems. Due to their rarity, severe torrential rains are often referred to as a "one-in-one-hundred-years event."
The last such severe torrential rain event occurred on August 10, 2011. The storm caused generalized flooding in Casa Loma and Lakeview Heights. In some neighbourhoods the runoff flooded properties and/or homes, and considerable ponding of water occurred in low lying areas. The event lead to a review of Casa Loma's existing drainage system, which had been installed many years prior to District of West Kelowna incorporation on December 6, 2007.
After careful review of the existing storm drainage system in the Casa Loma area, the District of West Kelowna determined that ditches would be required on Casa Loma, Lucinde and Campbell Roads, in order to adequately control storm water in the event of torrential rains.
The sizes of the ditches were reflective of the significant volumes of water that must be handled during severe storms. Installing curbs, gutters and underground pipes would have been significantly more costly than the chosen plan, and may still not have entirely handled heavy water flows during severe torrential rain events. Council also chose the most cost-effective method because the District of West Kelowna is fiscally accountable to all taxpayers in the municipality, is legally required to maintain a balanced budget and is required to strategically prioritize a high number of infrastructure needs throughout its jurisdiction.
Once the existing drainage system was assessed and the appropriate mitigation measures were identified, the District of West Kelowna held public input sessions and gained the support of the Casa Loma Community Association.
CONTACT US
If you have questions or would like further information, please contact the District of West Kelowna's Engineering Department at: