Posted on March 11, 2021
Sediment to be removed from in front of Kal Lake dam starting today
Flooding on Kalamalka Lake has been a concern for the past few years, but crews will be working to remedy the situation starting today.
After addressing all environmental and archeological concerns, work will begin on the area in front of the Kal Lake dam, which will increase outflow from the lake and in turn, lower lake levels.
Shaun Reimer, Public Safety and Protection Okanagan Shuswap District Ministry of Forests, Lands, Natural Resource Operations and Rural Development, said the plans is to remove sediment at the mouth of the dam that has been impeding water outflow.
With the particularly high water levels in 2017-18, along with storms in those years, Reimer said there is a possibility to generate bed load movement on the lake causing material to build up at the dam.
Because of the high sediment, even when the dam was opened, the silt and gravel inhibited water movement.
“We get to a point where we get to the bottom of the gates – that’s called a sill level – and if the lake goes down to there, that’s all there is,” said Reimer. “We can’t get the water out to drop the lake in anticipation of a big runoff.”
The reduced flow can raise the lake level up to one-quarter of a centimetre a day, which is a lot of water.
“Over 30 to 60 days, that can be a lot of centimetres on the lake, so it is clearly something we are concerned about,” he said.
But the planned work should take care of that inhibiting buildup, said Reimer, adding it is hoped the project can be completed before the spring run off raises lake levels.
“We are only taking half a metre of sediment and just in front of the dam. We’re not going way out into the lake or anything. We just need to get that water more freely flowing up to the dam,” said Reimer.
There will be ongoing environmental and archeological monitoring at the project and water will be pumped around the work site into Vernon Creek to maintain fishery flows, but there will be less water flowing down the creek.
The project is expected to take five days.
