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VIDEO: Much of Sumas Prairie in Abbotsford still submerged in floodwaters

Area viewed from Eagle Mountain on Dec. 1 shows large patches of land still under water

Floodwaters have abated on Sumas Prairie in Abbotsford since the first major storm hit the area on Nov. 14 and 15, but much of the area is still under water.

Photos and video taken from Eagle Mountain on Dec. 1 show much of the farmland still submerged, especially in the eastern portion.

RELATED: Abbotsford sees some localized flooding, but overall water levels are down

Mayor Henry Braun has said it could take weeks to fully drain the land, which was initially flooded when the Nooksack River in Washington State overtopped its banks and the waters made their way north.

The Barrowtown Pump Station has been operating at full tilt to funnel the waters into the Fraser River, but several heavy rainfalls since the initial storm have slowed down the process.

Braun said in Nov. 24 that 22,000 acres of farmland was under water on Sumas Prairie, including 1,200 acres of blueberry crops.

The third atmospheric river in the region since Nov. 25 began Tuesday and is expected to continue Wednesday.

RELATED: Fraser Valley fruit and vegetable growers face uncertainty



vhopes@abbynews.com

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Vikki Hopes

About the Author: Vikki Hopes

I have been a journalist for almost 40 years, and have been at the Abbotsford News since 1991.
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