FLOOD WATCH 2017: Volunteers boost efforts to save Penticton Yacht Club from rising lake waters | iNFOnews | Thompson-Okanagan's News Source
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Penticton News

FLOOD WATCH 2017: Volunteers boost efforts to save Penticton Yacht Club from rising lake waters

Sandbagging efforts continued at the Penticton Yacht Club on Friday, May 19, 2017. Additional help against rising lake waters included filling of a large bladder to help contain the lake around the boat ramp.

PENTICTON - Efforts to prevent flooding at the Penticton Yacht Club continued today.

Yacht Club Commodore Terry Olfert says efforts are focussed on trying to save the clubhouse, which is slowly being encroached on by Lake Okanagan continues to rise.

Water was lapping into the parking lot today, May 19, inches from the building’s edge.

Olfert says Trademark Industries offered the yacht club an aquaduct, essentially a giant bladder, which they gratefully put to use to stop the lake at the boat ramp.

Volunteers and the Penticton Fire Department were out in force helping out with filling of the aqueduct, and checking for leaks.

“We’re preparing for a two foot rise in lake level, and they’re anticipating a rise of another foot, so we should be OK. We’re doing our damnedest,” Olfert says.

He expects the sandbags and aqueduct to be in place at least until mid-June.

Vice Commodore Darren Vipond said the efforts will enable the yacht club to stay open through the long weekend. He had high praise for the efforts of a large number of volunteers who have turned up at the Yacht Club over the past few days to help with sandbagging efforts, some working all morning in the freezing lake.

He says a new problem cropping up is flooding from within the building as the water table rises.


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News from © iNFOnews, 2017
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