Mission Creek under flood watch after heavy rain | Globalnews.ca

Kelowna’s Mission Creek is now under a flood watch after a sustained period of heavy rain, according to the River Forecast Center.

A Water Survey of Canada gauge measured a “rapid rise overnight” with flows in the creek near East Kelowna measuring 56 cubic meters per second. The BC River Forecast Center said additional increases of up to 80 to 100 cubic meters are possible Monday through Tuesday, depending on additional rainfall amounts.

When the creek overflowed its banks late last month, flows peaked at 115 cubic meters per second.

It’s been a soggy start to July, with five to 35mm of rain falling across the southern interior since Sunday.

1:59
Local state of emergency declared in Kelowna in response to flooding

“On Monday, an upper low is expected to track across southwestern BC, bringing enveloping precipitation with the potential for heavier showers and thunderstorms in areas in the southern interior and Kootenays,” the forecast center said.

1:43
Body of missing woman found in Kelowna

While Mission Creek is the only river under a flood alert, other waterways may also see an increase in flow depending on how much rain falls.

“Given the uncertainty in the exact locations and intensity of the rains, it is possible that small and medium-sized basins in the region will experience high flows on Monday and Tuesday,” the forecast center said.

However, as it stands, the Rivers Forecast Center maintains a high flow advisory for the Similkameen River and its tributaries, the boundary area, including tributaries of the Kettle and Granby Rivers, West Kootenay, including the Slocan River, Duhamel Creek and tributaries to the region and east Kootenay, including the Kootenay River and tributaries to the region. Okanagan creeks, other than Mission Creek, are also advisory only.

2:24
Kelowna resident says more needs to be done to prevent damaging flooding

The public is advised to stay away from fast-flowing rivers and potentially unstable riverbanks during the period of high flow.