Years of flooding in Clayburn Village has one resident trying to take matters into his own hands.
Neil Carson, who has lived in the village for a decade, is tired of waiting for the water to rise and destroy his home.
He said “anger, disappointment and frustration” were key factors that pushed him to create an information website that lists all of the recent flooding incidents, including photos, possible causes and what he calls a lack of reaction from city officials.
“The flooding has been getting progressively worse,” said Carson, who wants something done to protect the historic area.
His website, www.clayburnflood.ca, won’t solve the problem, but he hopes enough people will visit the site, learn about the issue and hopefully convince city hall to take action.
“I don’t want it to flood next winter, so I want something done this summer.” said Carson.
Like many homeowners in the area, Carson fears the damage that could be caused if the waters of Clayburn Creek reach his home. He estimates damages could reach $100,000.
“I’ve already invested $2,000 into huge gas water pumps,” he said.
Flooding in Clayburn is not a new issue. The village is located on a flood plain, however, the problem has been more frequent in the last decade.
While residents have been demanding answers, the city is waiting until a new Integrated Stormwater Management Plan for the Clayburn Creek watershed is completed later this year. The plan, which looks at the entire watershed, may provide answers to why flooding has worsened in recent years.
Some believe development on Sumas Mountain is to blame, while other theories include sediment build-up in Clayburn Creek, a lack of drainage ditches, vegetation growth along the creek, and global warming.
But Carson believes waiting only ensures more flooding.
“I can’t go through this again next year,” he said. “My purpose is to try and embarrass the city into doing something, anything.”
While flood damage is his major concern, Carson is also worried about a possible safety issue at the Wright Street Bridge. A gas line is located under the bridge and, during periods of flooding, he says it is often submerged.
According to Carson, during the last flood, there was so much debris in the water rushing under the bridge, that the gas line could be damaged.
“I saw debris – logs the size of totem poles – going down the creek. If that had hit the gas line ...”
However, the gas line has not been damaged and representatives from FortisBC (formally Terasen Gas) say there is nothing to be concerned about.
“We have not heard about any incidents at that site,” said Marcus Wong, a spokesperson for FortisBC.
He said all gas lines are monitored 24 hours a day and should an incident occur, a response team would be sent out to ensure the safety of the area.
He added that FortisBC has a flood response plan in place for the province.