Winifred Road resident Lyle Armour of Naramata watched a large hole in his backyard nearly double in size following a torrent of water that came down the Kettle Valley rail trail right of way during last Thursday's rain.

(STEVE ARSTAD - REPORTER / iNFOnews.ca)

PENTICTON - A Naramata man is finding increasing support from his neighbours in his quest to have drainage issues along the Kettle Valley Rail Trail in Naramata addressed.

The support comes after the record setting rainfall Thursday, March 22, eroded backyards, triggered mudslides and washed out streets in the Naramata neighbourhood.

Lyle Armour faced continuing erosion of a former retaining wall and earth bank behind his house on Winifred Road last week. A large crater in the bank doubled in size, but water has been flowing steadily through his property since January.

Directly above his residence, the Kettle Valley Rail Trail was damaged by water that appears around 100 metres north of Armour’s property, runs along the trail for around a half kilometre before disappearing, only to resurface on the trail a short distance south.

Armour has been expressing his concerns to the South Okanagan-Similkameen Regional District and the B.C. Government for more than several months. It was slightly more than a year ago he arrived home after a holiday to discover his retaining wall had collapsed and a new watercourse now making its way through his property.

Armour believes the origin of the problem lies with a new subdivision under construction above the rail trail, something his neighbour, two doors to the north, also believes following last week’s rain.

Martin Au-Yeung says water from Thursday’s rain washed out his backyard and the backfill next to his house foundation.

“The water didn’t get into my house. I dodged a bullet on that one, but others weren’t so lucky. I spoke with a couple that are building their home at the end of the street. Water came down the side of their house and washed out the slope and scaffolding, which is going to cost an estimated $20,000 to fix," Au-Yeung says.

He believes the issue is the result of poor drainage planning and recent developments above the rail trail.

Au-Yeung says the incident has galvanized the neighbourhood into taking action.

Martin Au-Yeung's Winifred Road property in Naramata suffered some washed out foundation and eroded backyard, but escaped flooding to the interior of the house following last Thursday's downpour.

(STEVE ARSTAD - REPORTER / iNFOnews.ca)

“Lyle has been fighting this for more than a year. I’m going to join the battle. This time, it’s affecting everyone in the community,” Au-Yeung says.

He plans to go door to door to collect signatures for a letter requesting a solution to the issue to local and provincial governments.

Regional district Director Karla Kozackevich, who lives close to many residents affected by the drainage issues on the trail and last week’s heavy rain, says she’s aware of the concerns and has been forwarding letters and resident input to the province.

“I have been in contact with the Ministry of Forests, Lands and Natural Resource Operations Recreation and Trails B.C., and the Ministry of Transportation and Infrastructure. They are responsible for maintenance and drainage issues along the trail,” Kozackevich says.

She spoke to Trails B.C. manager Tennessee Trent following a partial washout of the trail around a kilometre south of Armour’s property last Thursday.

The washout resulted in a slide of rocks and mud that directly impacted a house below, forcing the occupants out of the structure. The washout has necessitated closure of a section of trail in that area for the time being.

Kozackevich also noted Gawne Road had been heavily impacted by Thursday’s rain, washing out both shoulders to several feet in depth in places, in addition to undermining the road surface in others.

Ministry officials were out on the rail trail over the weekend and today, March 26, assessing the damage and looking for ways to mitigate the issue.

Trent was not available for comment today.

A section of the Kettle Valley Rail Trail above Naramata remains closed Monday, March 26, 2018, following a major washout last week that resulted in a landslide encroaching on the residence below.

(STEVE ARSTAD - REPORTER / iNFOnews.ca)

News from © iNFOnews, 2018