Law Creek Hazard and Risk Assessment

2018

$36,000

$12,846

In early Spring of 2017, a major flow event occurred on Law Creek. The event originated in the watershed above Highway 97C during a rapid snow melt. The event developed into a major debris flow as it moved rapidly downstream surcharging the existing drainage courses to the McKinnon Road area, ultimately washing out the roadway.

This event had the following direct impacts to our community:

• Washed out MacKinnon Road for approximately 200m and the upstream culvert;
• Closed a section of MacKinnon Road for several weeks;
• Severely damaged the adjacent private properties; and
• Required approximately $315,000 to repair the damage and upsize one of the three existing culverts. Additional funding will be required to upsize the remaining two culverts in the near future.

There is a strong potential that another event of this nature could occur again in the Law Creek channel, however, the District would need to complete a hazard and risk assessment to further understand characteristics and morphology of the Creek. The assessment will allow the District to:

• Better estimate the likelihood that potentially damaging events will occur,
• Identify the elements at risk, and
• Asses the severity of consequences.