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City crews on Nelson creek patrol

Nelson storm sewers and creeks are seeing heavy use with the recent rainfall, keeping city staff on alert for potential flooding issues.
68897westernstar05_23creekwatch
The creeks that run through Nelson — like Anderson Creek in Fairview — are always a concern at this time of year. City of Nelson crews will continue to monitor creek flows over the next few weeks.

Nelson storm sewers and creeks are seeing heavy use with the recent rainfall, keeping Nelson City staff on alert for potential flooding issues.

City operations manager Jim Dinwoodie said culverts are checked daily to ensure they haven’t been blocked by debris.

The city also cleaned out the outfall pipe in the lake  earlier this spring. That should help prevent water from backing up in the pipes, which was a contributing factor in last year’s flooding.

“Where the water comes out of the storm sewers into the lake was plugged up with silt and sand over the last couple of years,” Dinwoodie explained. “We managed to get it cleared out when the lake levels were low.”

Besides the storm sewer system, Dinwoodie also noted city crews check streamflow levels in the creeks that run through town to ensure they aren’t at risk of flooding.

“We’re in good shape to deal with whatever comes our way,” Dinwoodie said.

Last year’s flooding was attributed to unusually high snowpack levels and a cold spring that delayed the melt, as well as excessive rainfall — 2012 was the wettest year on record in the West Kootenay.