Wild currents along Mission Creek flood Greenway trail | iNFOnews | Thompson-Okanagan's News Source
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Kelowna News

Wild currents along Mission Creek flood Greenway trail

The section of Mission Creek Greenway running under the Gordon Drive bridge is off-limits to trail-users until water levels recede.

With the recent spike in temperatures the winter snowpack is getting an extra push down the mountains. And while parts of the Mission Creek Greenway are now closed to keep people and their pets safe from rapidly rising water flow, concern for flooding isn't quite as high.

Dave Campbell of the B.C. River Forecast Centre says Mission Creek has nearly hit its annual flood level.

"The snow is melting about as fast as it physically can," he says.

Campbell says the drastic change in weather is unusual for this time of year. 

"It's really transitioned fairly quickly into this melt," he says.

Just a week ago it was snowing at certain elevations. The heat spell expected to last until the weekend and Friday is forecasted to be the hottest day of the week.

“It depends how this high pressure system fizzles out,” Campbell says.

Rain showers could add more volume to the already full creeks and streams. While the raging waters may attract interest, people should keep a close watch on their children and pets around creeks.

“Often the banks can get saturated and become quite loose,” Campbell says.

The Regional District of the Central Okanagan has barricaded the Greenway trail where it passes under Casorso Road bridge and the Gordon Drive Bridge. Barricades and signs are in place to alert trail-users to the danger. Pedestrians and cyclists should be extra cautious, especially when crossing Casorso Road. Motorists should also be watchful for trail-users crossing the road while the underpass is closed.

At the Gordon Drive bridge, the north-side of the underpass remains open for use.

To contact the reporter for this story, email Julie Whittet at jwhittet@infotelnews.ca or call (250) 718-0428.

News from © iNFOnews, 2013
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