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Merritt could divert the Coldwater River as it nears treatment infrastructure

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11/19/2021 • 1 hour ago • 3 minutes read • 11 comments Rainwater breaks through the Malahat Highway on Vancouver Island after relentless rain earlier this week. Rainwater breaks through the Malahat Highway on Vancouver Island after relentless rain earlier this week. Photo from the Department of Transportation and Safety of British Columbia

The British Columbia government is rationing gasoline and restricting travel to Vancouver Island, the Gulf Islands, southwestern parts of the province and the Sunshine Coast after this week’s unprecedented storm severed highways and cut utility lines.

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Public Safety Secretary Mike Farnworth said a 30 liter limit of fuel per visit is an important step in maintaining supplies as the province works to bring more gasoline by truck and barge from Alberta, Washington State, Oregon and California bring.

He said the order would last for 10 to 11 days, and he trusts people won’t be greedy while keeping an eye on critical services as they focus on residents whose communities have been devastated by flooding.

He says the police will not enforce the 30 liter per visit rule but will rely on local residents to “do the right thing”.

Farnworth says if people obey the restrictions, BC’s gas supplies will be on for the next 10 to 11 days.

He says gas stations in southwest BC, the Sea-To-Sky region, the Sunshine Coast, the Gulf Islands, and Vancouver Island will be required to ensure supplies last by December 1st.

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Farnworth said that as of Friday, non-essential travel will also be banned on sections of Highways 99, 3 and 7 and restricted area transit will be reserved for the commercial transport of goods such as food, water and medical supplies.

“As the roads are repaired and most of the traffic jams are removed, restrictions on important travel can and will be relaxed. We will release the details of enforcement shortly, ”he said.

“But I hope everyone understands the need for these restrictions and cooperates fully. In other words, unless you have to travel right now, don’t. Stay at home. And if you can’t, carpool, take public transport or work from home. “

  1. Farmers and community members help rescue stranded cattle from a farm after rainstorms caused floods and landslides in Abbotsford, BC on November 16, 2021.

    Desperate attempt to rescue thousands of BC cattle using trailers, ropes, and sea-doos

  2. Damage caused by heavy rainfall and mudslides earlier this week is pictured along the Coquihalla Highway near Hope, BC

    “We are far from out”: Up to 100 mm rain forecast for British Columbia

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Officials in Merritt are working with the Provincial Department for Forests, Land and Natural Resources on what the city is calling the “new run” of the Coldwater River.

The flooded city says the river is now much closer to Merritt’s wastewater treatment infrastructure, creating problems with its operations.

An update posted on Merritt’s Facebook page on Friday said the city and the ministry are investigating whether the river could be redirected to its original course, despite no plans yet.

BC Agriculture Secretary Lana Popham says affected farmers are eligible for provincial disaster relief and her federal colleague has assured her there would be assistance from that jurisdiction as well.

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Highways in the southern parts of the province have been badly damaged and some, like the Coquihalla, will not be rebuilt for several months while others have been restored to restricted single-lane access.

Transportation Secretary Rob Fleming said Highway 3 has been opened from Hope to the southern interior of the province for essential travel and Highway 99, which connects to Highway 97 north of Cache Creek, could be open until Sunday, depending on whether the crews can continue their work.

“I would like to emphasize that this will not be a trip as we would expect under normal conditions. Rescue workers will be on site with heavy equipment to further repair the roads. And until this work is completed, the traffic on these routes will be slow. “

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