2018 Lillooet Lake Estates AGM
April 12th, 2018
7:00 PM
North Vancouver District Hall
355 West Queens Rd
North Vancouver BC
Update of Cataline Creek Project
As you know our community has suffered several significant debris torrents in recent years causing damage to property and threats to persons. The following is intended to give you a more in depth understanding of this major issue that faces the Lillooet Lake Estates (“LLE”) community and our actions to respond to these serious threats to residents and property.
Background
The development is located on an alluvial fan, built up by Catiline Creek. Over many centuries, rocks, vegetation and sediment from the cliffs and slopes above LLE were washed down towards the lakeshore. Much of the debris settled out on the lower slopes before reaching the Lake. Rain and stream-water used to meander all over the area where LLE now is. However, new vegetation and trees eventually covered the lower slopes so water and debris is now channelled down Catiline Creek and into Lillooet Lake – most of the time!
In recent years, the total amount of debris carried downstream has occasionally been too great for the size of the creek/channel. Fortunately, the flow of soil, vegetation, rocks etc. stayed mostly in Catiline Creek. Damage to date from these occasional, larger events, has been limited to the catchment basin, the Forest Service Road/bridge, some properties near the Creek, below the road, and the LLE Common Lot/park space.
Realistically, some future slide will likely be large enough to overwhelm the capacity of the creek-bed, allowing the debris to “jump the banks” and spill into built-up areas – resulting in personal and/or property damage. The proposed Debris Flow Mitigation Project is intended to reduce risk from any debris flow to an acceptable, safe level.
Risk Assessment
The Province of BC assisted with clean up after the last two debris flows in 2010 & 2013, at a cost of approximately $414,000. As well, the Ministry of Forests, Lands, Natural Resource Operations and Rural Development (MFLNRORD) has faced clean up costs on the road and bridge structure.
After the 2013 debris torrent, with support from Emergency Management BC (EMBC), the engineering firm of BGC was hired to complete a risk assessment and flood map.
The findings included the following:
- Annual probability of life loss for a particular individual “Probability of Death of an Individual (PDI)”
- Age-standardized, all causes: PDI = 1:175
- Accidental causes: PDI = 1:2,500
- Driving: PDI = 1:12,500
- 99 of the 152 lots have an unacceptable high risk
- Individual risk exceeded 1:10,000 risk of fatality /year for 76 lots
- An additonal18 lots exceeded 1:1000 annual risk of fatality,
- Estimated annual risk of death is 1:70
- Estimated group safety risk also fell entirely into the “Unacceptable” range
Based on that risk evaluation, SLRD posted a Public Notice apprising lot owners (and visitors) of the personal risk to anyone on LLE property, based on lot location. It was clear that, unless LLE addressed this known risk, individuals would be at risk of being injured or killed, buildings were at risk, and property values and future sales would both be severely reduced.
Experience and modeling indicate that it is probable that the community will experience another debris torrent before 2020.
Many permanent residents of our community cannot, in practical terms, move; thus, they are constantly living with the fear of another slide.
In 2016, LLE and SLRD jointly retained Kerr Wood Leidal (KWL) Engineers to refine protection options and to provide cost estimates, based on preliminary design, for the most feasible approach. The primary options were either to (1) construct a “retention dam” high up above LLE, or (2) build only angled “berms” at that elevation so as to force future debris flows into a substantially deepened and widened Catiline Creek channel.
On evaluation, Option (2) proved to be the preferred one. For any future-slide statistically likely to occur once in a 1000 year period, the proposed mitigation works will reduce risk to an internationally accepted level of safety. Once constructed, the works will allow LLE Lot owners to enjoy their investments at the Lake in safety, and with every expectation of improved property values in the future.
The Proposed Solution
LLE secured the services of Kerr Wood Leidal (KWL) in 2016 to evaluate/refine the proposed options and complete a preliminary design on the most feasible option.
The SLRD—our local government—agreed to support the project and covered 50% of the costs toward the $200,000 KWL contract.
KWL gave serious analysis to two mitigation options as identified in the BGC report.
- Option 1: Increasing Capacity of existing channel; and
- Option 2: Diversion at fan apex
Ultimately, the LLE Board selected Option 1 – Increase channel capacity (with training berms) due to nature of hazard, risk objectives including low transfer of risk, and property impacts.
KWL has completed test holes, Lidar mapping, an initial environmental review, and conducted engineering site investigations. KWL also has previous experience working on slide clean-ups in the SLRD. The plans have had a peer review completed by Dr. Oldrich Hungr. Lizzie Bay Logging (the largest local experienced contractor) provided an independent set of project cost estimates.
The design was completed by KWL/BGC engineering groups in October 2016 and features the following:
- Excavating and stabilizing a larger creek channel through the community to convey debris flow along existing channel alignment from fan apex to Lillooet Lake
- Supplementing creek excavation with berms to increase conveyance capacity
- Constructing upper fan training berms above community to reduce risk of lower works being outflanked
- Extending upstream berms to high-ground to avoid being outflanked
- Replacing/modifying existing FSR Bridge to accommodate wider creek channel and/or debris flow events
- Constructing lake side training berms to limit material deposition near Lillooet Lake
- Incorporating design features to balance environmental and recreation resource uses
- Providing construction and maintenance access points
- Approximately 188,000 m³ of material would be excavated.
- About 35% can be used in the construction
- 65% will require off-site disposal along FSR
Post project, it is expected that most material carried by a debris flow would be transported into the lake or contained in the new, much larger channel, which would then be removed in keeping with an engineer-prepared maintenance manual.
The construction project would be staged over 2 years.
This plan has been reviewed by BGC and was found to meet all stated project goals (i.e. every lot would be reclassified into a zone that meets international standards of safety).
The plan was approved by the LLE board of Directors on September 17,2016 and the full community in March of 2017.
The SLRD Board of Directors accepted the plan in July of 2017.
The LLE Board and the SLRD Board believe that the threat must be reduced to safer levels and that the KWL solution should be implemented ASAP.
Our community has indicated a willingness to participate in funding the solution but cannot afford the full project cost; government assistance is imperative.
It should be noted that the project would also benefit:
- Local First Nations Communities further ‘down’ the Lillooet Lake/river basin
- Commercial operators,
- Visitors driving on the In-SHUCK-ch Forest Service Road over the Catiline Creek crossing.
In the past, slides up to 5 meters in height of material have been deposited on this crossing, closing the road for several day and cutting off access to communities beyond the Catiline Creek bridge. These closures have negatively impacted commercial operations, cut off normal contact for all ‘downstream’ communities and cut off access by fire, health and safety vehicles.
Community Support
The preliminary design has been approved by the residents and has the support of the surrounding communities and organizations:
- Xa’xtsa Nation,
- Lil’Wat Nation,
- Samahquam Nation,
- In Shuck ch Resource Management,
- BC Hydro
This project would dramatically reduce the likelihood of further expenditures by locals, SLRD and the Province/MFLNRORD as the channel is designed to convey the debris through the community to Lillooet Lake. As well, the design includes maintenance measures to further reduce potential future costs if material accumulates anywhere in the channel.
The Forestry Services Bridge was also identified as a structure that has, in the past, acted as a plug thus directing material outside of the channel toward downstream buildings and properties. MFLNRORD has committed to funding the replacement of the bridge and alterations to the road in concert with this project (at a cost of approximately $1.3M)
Project Budget (2017 estimates)
Mitigation Work $ 4,196,000
Professional Services (Engineering/Design and project supervision) $ 825,000
Contingencies* (30%) $ 1,650,000
Construction Subtotal $ 6,671,000
FLNRO –Bridge and Road $ 1,304,000
Total Construction Budget $ 7,975,000
*30% contingency has intentionally been set ‘high’ so as to ensure the budget remains balanced throughout entire project duration
Additional funding will be required for property acquisition where required.
Ancillary Activities
The project will also comply with the requirements of the Dike Maintenance Act (DMA).
As this project will include a series of berms intended to direct any debris torrent material back into the Catiline Creek channel, these berms will be classified as dikes and hence a post Catiline Creek mitigation project will be required by the Province to be owned and operated by a Diking Authority. The SLRD Board has, by resolution, established itself as the Local Diking Authority for the Catiline Creek ‘Diking System’ for a future debris flow mitigation structure.
KWL is preparing an Operations and Maintenance Manual which provides costing for the inspection, routine maintenance, periodic larger scale maintenance, periodic works upgrading and post event dike restoration in keeping with the requirements of the Dike Maintenance Act.
Looking Forward
Our shareholders approved the following motion at our 2017 AGM:
1) That the SLRD be requested to proceed with the creation of a Special Service Area for the purposes of securing a loan of up to $3,000,000 for the purposes of contributing to the Catiline Creek mitigation project.
2) That the board of LLE be required to secure approval of the shareholders before activating part or all of the aforementioned loan.
The SLRD Board a passed a motion (July, 2017) for potential loan financing of a larger amount. The SLRD has agreed to provide loan financing to LLE of up to $8 Million for the construction, maintenance and operation of the (Debris Flow Mitigation) works – subject to approval by 75% of the LLE shareholders and registration of a mortgage on terms satisfactory to SLRD over the parcels of land known as DL4901 and Parcel A
LLE has been applying for government financial support for the past several years.
In 2017, the SLRD, on behalf of LLE, submitted funding applications for two grant programs. Too our great disappointment we have now received word that, neither grant request was approved. We are following up on both programs to get a debrief so that we can sharpen our applications in the future. We will also continue to look for other sources of funding and we will be conducting more aggressive lobbying.
In-Shuck-ch Forest Service Road Update
“In an effort to provide all road users with as much lead time as possible, I thought I would send out a quick note regarding an upcoming project on the In-SHUCK-ch Forest Service road. As many of you know, the 0-2 km stretch at the start of the road has plagued us for years. Not only is it narrow and difficult to maintain throughout the winter, it is a challenge to negotiate and is supported by cribbing which is nearing the end of its life.
It is looking very favorable that over the next two years we will embark on a realignment that will drastically improve this section of road. Phase 1, involves a significant amount of earthworks, and will require the reactivation of a temporary bypass. The bypass will introduce some significant grades (approx. 20%), but will allow us to compress this project significantly. Tentatively, Phase 1 is scheduled to commence May 1, and be completed by September 1, 2018, between which time all traffic should be prepared to use the bypass route. Phase 2 is tentatively scheduled for September 1 to October 1, 2019, also makes use of the temporary bypass, and involves the installation of several ½ bridges in sections of road immediately below the 1 km Hydro tower.
I do recognise the bypass will introduce significant grades and interruptions, hence why we are compressing the schedule as best as possible. As with all the other projects we have tackled in the past, I appreciate everyone’s patience in advance and their ability to adjust their use accordingly. As this project unfolds, I will be sure to update this group as best as possible but in the meantime, please feel free to forward accordingly, and contact me directly if you have any questions or concerns.”
Thanks,
MALCOLM SCHULZ, RPF ENGINEERING OFFICER
SEA TO SKY NATURAL RESOURCE DISTRICT
New Web Site
We are pleased to announce that in response to your feedback we have completely revised the layout and functionality of our web site.
The new web site features some new articles and information. For example the board has recently created a new Owners Manual that should be helpful to you. As well we have posted the Power Point that was presented at the two community meetings that were held in early December. Some of you have had trouble accessing the previous web site. Hopefully all of those problems have been corrected in this new version. Please give it a test drive. As well please update your personal contact information e.g. address and email if you make any changes. We rely on this information and are doing our best to eliminate costly and slow snail mail.
Please visit at www.lillooetlakeestates.ca
User name and password remain the same. Unless you changed your password in the past, all usernames and passwords remain your first initial and then your last name (ie jsmith) If you changed your password and cannot recall what it is, please press the lost password button to have it reset. You may also use the email that LLE has on file for you as your username.
We encourage you to sign up for our LLE Facebook page. You will find a link to the page on the new website.