During the evening of Monday December 1st the Kicking Horse River was subject to frazzle ice buildup causing an ice jam on the Kicking Horse River within the Town of Golden boundaries.
As of 12:30pm on December 4th all the ice is within the walls of the existing dykes.
Approvals have been granted by the Ministry of Forest Lands and Natural Resources to deploy heavy machinery to help limit ice buildup within the community. Efforts are presently focused at the Kicking Horse and Columbia River confluence.
An ice dyke has been constructed behind the businesses of 9th Ave North to manage the ice flow if the material starts to move. Surveys of the dyke walls have found some evidence of seepage with pools of water forming behind the dyke walls. Private property on Gould’s Island is presently subject to flooding from the ice and water build up in the river. These areas are presently being monitored and managed by emergency management personal.
“Heavy equipment is presently working at the Kicking Horse and Columbia River confluence,” states Mayor Ron Oszust. “This work is being conducted to help relieve the ice jam and open channels for material movement. These efforts combined with the anticipated warming trends in the forecast are expected to help move the current ice buildup within the dyke walls.”
Mayor Oszust also stressed that there is absolutely no immediate threat of closure to the Highway 95 bridge, and that the situation remains fairly static as of now.
A shipment of Hesco Baskets has been received by the Town of Golden for deployment, if deemed necessary. These 4ft by 4ft baskets are designed to work as giant sandbags and help protect the downtown core if the ice levels rise.
Public safety is a priority and people are encouraged to keep a safe distance from the Kicking Horse River as sudden movements of ice and materials within the river are possible and unpredictable.
The Golden Emergency Operations Centre remains activated to a level 1 capacity. At this time it is deemed unnecessary to issue any flood alerts or evacuation orders. Public are reminded to respect any posted closures and stay away from all machinery in the area.
Additional updates will be provided as the situation changes.
