Community Update #3: Poole Creek/ Gates Lake Flood and Debris Flood

News date
Applicable communities
Electoral Area C

Contractors working on behalf of the Squamish-Lillooet Regional District (SLRD) have been undertaking emergency flood mitigation work on one private property in the Gates Lake area of Electoral Area C, alleviating immediate potential public safety hazards associated with last week's warm weather and subsequent glacial melt.

The work was performed by qualified professionals, with the property owner's consent, and with support from the Ministry of Emergency Management and Climate Readiness and the Ministry of Water, Land, and Resource Stewardship. Those contractors were also onsite Tuesday, August 6, to assess the emergency flood mitigation works after Monday night's significant rainfall. Reports from Tuesday's assessment indicate that the works are stable.

This work, including the excavation of a drainage channel to alleviate flooding and redirect overland flood flow away from properties back into Gates Lake, is emergency mitigation work and is not meant to be a long-term solution to flood and debris flood hazards associated with the July 21, 2024 Place Creek debris flood event.

In order to administer this flood-protection work in accordance with provincial emergency response legislation, the SLRD declared a State of Local Emergency (SOLE) for Electoral Area C at 8 a.m. on August 1, 2024. This SOLE will remain until August 15, 2024, unless cancelled by the SLRD. The SLRD has not issued an Evacuation Order, and the overall hazard risk assessment for the Gates Lake area has stayed the same. An Evacuation Alert for eight properties remains in place.

The SLRD continues to monitor the current conditions and weather forecast for the area. Residents are advised to use caution in the area and avoid streambanks and water channels. There is the potential for increased sediment and stream bank instability in these areas. If you witness signs of slope instability or debris flood, please contact the SLRD at 604-894-6371 (toll-free at 1-800-298-7753), or by email at info@slrd.bc.ca

Virtual town hall

The SLRD will hold a virtual town hall on Thursday, August 8, from 4:30 p.m. to 6 p.m. to update the community on the SLRD's EOC response and next steps and share an update on the preliminary hazard assessment. Following the presentations, there will be an opportunity to ask questions.

Information on the town hall event

Reminder: Evacuation Alerts and Orders are issued through the SLRD's Emergency Alert Notification System; sign up to receive alerts by email, text, or phone.

Emergency preparedness reminders
  • Know the hazards – knowing what hazards you need to plan for is the first step to being prepared.
  • Make an emergency plan for yourself, all members of your household and your pets.
  • Prepare your emergency supplies and build your kits:
  • Ensure you have supplies, including food, water and necessary medicines, for at least 72 hours.
  • Research insurance options and ensure your plan is up-to-date.
  • Evacuation routes: understand how you will leave the area.
  • Evacuation and recovery resources: Learn what happens in evacuations, what financial assistance you might be eligible for and other recovery resources.
Stay Informed

In an emergency, misinformation is dangerous. Get your information from official sources, and make sure you have access:

Applicable service
Notice type(s)