The level of Shuswap Lake reached approximately 348.660 metres last Friday evening and into Saturday a.m.
And has been dropping ever since, now at 348. 622 metres.
This may or may not be the cresting, depending on this warm weather and the snowpack melt.
But an encouraging sign.
Also, all major rivers with gauges have been dropping over the weekend as well.
Another good sign; provides more space in the river channels should there be any increase in flow this week.
Monday, June 27, 2011
Saturday, June 25, 2011
Wednesday, June 22, 2011
THe CLINIC
Our Medical Clinic in Scotch Creek needs community involvement. Within the IHA system, I do not know of another unincorporated (rural) area with a Clinic supported by its community. What sets us apart from other communities? I say it is our dedication and involvement with the natural attraction of the area. We can offer an attraction to medical professionals that will be a benefit to all of BC. If we could come up with a plan, a system, to maintain our clinic, we would be the first- and possibly, if successful, a template for other rural areas, to use. If properly done, we could offer an efficient (both in costs & services), community driven health care service.
Your involvement, your time and your ideas no matter how small or big, are needed. We need a team, group, organization or society. The group would deal with keeping the Medical Clinic, with keeping Doctors and assistant staff. That in its self is a tall order, however I see it as a necessity because there are many reasons to have a clinic in the North Shuswap, not just because we have a need and people.
The vision is foggy and I need your help to make it clear. This organization would secure what the medical priorities for the North Shuswap are. They could be a contact and promoter of a improved healthy community and they could arrange funds for equipment and medical personal to contribute to a more efficient medical service. The medical system is complicated and there needs to be a way to tease out how IHA, the staff and the professionals inter-relate to give use service. Advocates for the North Shuswap could put this in layman's terms. There would be funding needed that would supply the Clinic with a variety of things, as well to keep it viable and attractive to medical personal.
It is true that we already pay for medical services in our taxes and so many other ways. This is exactly the reason IHA has a difficulty to support this clinic. They are stretched beyond what was expected for our medical system. With all the critical needs in BC why should they spend those dollars in a small rural area? It is why they are asking me, that if in the past the North Shuswap supported the Scotch Creek Medical Clinic; would they now again show a partnership in keeping the clinic running? An infusion of $4,000 is needed, to help pay for computers, software and storage, among other office things - from the North Shuswap residents. I will be asking for support from local community groups to help offset these costs.
Up to now I have been one of the main liaisons to keep the Clinic going. The Medical Clinic is far too important to be left in this precarious position. Come December I will be gone. A group representing and advocating the Clinic and health needs to be formed as soon as possible. Contact me and I will help get this interesting and vital group going.
Your involvement, your time and your ideas no matter how small or big, are needed. We need a team, group, organization or society. The group would deal with keeping the Medical Clinic, with keeping Doctors and assistant staff. That in its self is a tall order, however I see it as a necessity because there are many reasons to have a clinic in the North Shuswap, not just because we have a need and people.
The vision is foggy and I need your help to make it clear. This organization would secure what the medical priorities for the North Shuswap are. They could be a contact and promoter of a improved healthy community and they could arrange funds for equipment and medical personal to contribute to a more efficient medical service. The medical system is complicated and there needs to be a way to tease out how IHA, the staff and the professionals inter-relate to give use service. Advocates for the North Shuswap could put this in layman's terms. There would be funding needed that would supply the Clinic with a variety of things, as well to keep it viable and attractive to medical personal.
It is true that we already pay for medical services in our taxes and so many other ways. This is exactly the reason IHA has a difficulty to support this clinic. They are stretched beyond what was expected for our medical system. With all the critical needs in BC why should they spend those dollars in a small rural area? It is why they are asking me, that if in the past the North Shuswap supported the Scotch Creek Medical Clinic; would they now again show a partnership in keeping the clinic running? An infusion of $4,000 is needed, to help pay for computers, software and storage, among other office things - from the North Shuswap residents. I will be asking for support from local community groups to help offset these costs.
Up to now I have been one of the main liaisons to keep the Clinic going. The Medical Clinic is far too important to be left in this precarious position. Come December I will be gone. A group representing and advocating the Clinic and health needs to be formed as soon as possible. Contact me and I will help get this interesting and vital group going.
More on water rising
The level of Shuswap Lake as of 0500 hrs, June 20 , 2011, is at 348.483.
This level is still well short of the level of 348.700 metres the lake is projected to eventually reach.
Earlier in June, the rise was approximately 5 cms per day, but the rate of rise has been gradually slowing and over the past weekend, the rise was in the range of approximately ½ to 1 centimetre per each 24 hour period. Water Stewardship Division, Ministry of Environment, are advising the Shuswap Emergency Program that Shuswap Lake is exhibiting signs that it is close to cresting, which supports the projected final height. While perhaps the spring weather hasn’t been the best in terms of warmth and sun for tourism, it definitely has been a moderating influence on how the mid mountain to high level snow packs have been melting. A brief period of warmer weather, forecast for the middle of this week, will likely increase the melt rate slightly, but it is not anticipated it will have a major impact on the rate of lake level increase. For comparison purposes, if and when Shuswap Lake reaches 348.700 metres, it will be similar to the 2008 level (348.660 metres) or slightly below the level it reached in 2002 (348.850 metres). While current forecasting is suggesting the final lake level will not be unusually high, lakeshore property owners should calculate what effect the projected level of the lake will have on their property, and determine what if any action they need to take. A contributing factor to consider is wave action caused by wind or boats. For several weeks, the Shuswap Emergency Program has been making sandbags available from a number of community locations, listed on www.sepadvisory.com , which also contains flood proofing and sandbag tips. Currently the situation is not warranting supply and distribution of sand to individual residences at taxpayer expense, as significant or widespread flooding does not appear to be imminent or occurring. Property owners are responsible for constructing high water protective works on their properties. The situation will continue to be monitored by SEP, Water Stewardship, and the River Forecast Centre. Shuswap Emergency Program Contact: 250.833.5927
This level is still well short of the level of 348.700 metres the lake is projected to eventually reach.
Earlier in June, the rise was approximately 5 cms per day, but the rate of rise has been gradually slowing and over the past weekend, the rise was in the range of approximately ½ to 1 centimetre per each 24 hour period. Water Stewardship Division, Ministry of Environment, are advising the Shuswap Emergency Program that Shuswap Lake is exhibiting signs that it is close to cresting, which supports the projected final height. While perhaps the spring weather hasn’t been the best in terms of warmth and sun for tourism, it definitely has been a moderating influence on how the mid mountain to high level snow packs have been melting. A brief period of warmer weather, forecast for the middle of this week, will likely increase the melt rate slightly, but it is not anticipated it will have a major impact on the rate of lake level increase. For comparison purposes, if and when Shuswap Lake reaches 348.700 metres, it will be similar to the 2008 level (348.660 metres) or slightly below the level it reached in 2002 (348.850 metres). While current forecasting is suggesting the final lake level will not be unusually high, lakeshore property owners should calculate what effect the projected level of the lake will have on their property, and determine what if any action they need to take. A contributing factor to consider is wave action caused by wind or boats. For several weeks, the Shuswap Emergency Program has been making sandbags available from a number of community locations, listed on www.sepadvisory.com , which also contains flood proofing and sandbag tips. Currently the situation is not warranting supply and distribution of sand to individual residences at taxpayer expense, as significant or widespread flooding does not appear to be imminent or occurring. Property owners are responsible for constructing high water protective works on their properties. The situation will continue to be monitored by SEP, Water Stewardship, and the River Forecast Centre. Shuswap Emergency Program Contact: 250.833.5927
Monday, June 20, 2011
Regional Tourism North Okanagan & Shuswap meeting
Regional Tourism Strategy meeting was designed, for the entire Thompson Okanagan region Christina Lake, Ashcroft, Valmont and Revelstoke area. The growing the tourism industry in other countries is our competitors. Building capacity to give a wide variety of choices to visitors to our area is important to be successful. We have had strategies for the Shuswap area to work together to offer many services to visitors and locals alike in a holistic package. In this case one could do a tour from North Shuswap to Vernon and experience many interesting and different things. Food, hikes, crafts and music. The intent is to work together to provide more experiences by offering more area to cover.
Why tourism? it is a part of the key to economic prosperity in BC. Hotels give 13.4% of BC’s revenues in taxes; in the last 10 years those taxes have increased 32.7%. Province & Feds are having a regional tourism strategy; as well as other countries but they are planning over a wider context and not specific to local areas.
Changes are rapid what is happening in tourism and in developing tourism plans where is it going. The impacts are changing; demographics, with emerging global middle class, and lifestyles values. Economically; it has been tough on everyone; or example; owning a home in Vancouver, has 72% of income directed to home living expenses, Toronto it is 47%, exchange rate devaluation, HST and rising fuel prices. Environmentally; increase in crises- Iceland volcano and earthquakes affect tourism.
Politically; we are perceived (Canada/BC) as a safe and secure destination (that is until the Vancouver’s Canucks loss!). How we rank with the rest of the world tourism, there are a lot of disincentives for tourist to come here. The cost of getting here is significant, not seen as a good destination. Reasons to not visit BC are listed as; 78% to expensive, 64% no real reason to go, destinations to far apart 58%, do not know enough about it 57% and of course the best reason 81% say they have better places to go.
Why tourism? it is a part of the key to economic prosperity in BC. Hotels give 13.4% of BC’s revenues in taxes; in the last 10 years those taxes have increased 32.7%. Province & Feds are having a regional tourism strategy; as well as other countries but they are planning over a wider context and not specific to local areas.
Changes are rapid what is happening in tourism and in developing tourism plans where is it going. The impacts are changing; demographics, with emerging global middle class, and lifestyles values. Economically; it has been tough on everyone; or example; owning a home in Vancouver, has 72% of income directed to home living expenses, Toronto it is 47%, exchange rate devaluation, HST and rising fuel prices. Environmentally; increase in crises- Iceland volcano and earthquakes affect tourism.
Politically; we are perceived (Canada/BC) as a safe and secure destination (that is until the Vancouver’s Canucks loss!). How we rank with the rest of the world tourism, there are a lot of disincentives for tourist to come here. The cost of getting here is significant, not seen as a good destination. Reasons to not visit BC are listed as; 78% to expensive, 64% no real reason to go, destinations to far apart 58%, do not know enough about it 57% and of course the best reason 81% say they have better places to go.
Thursday, June 16, 2011
Back sorry about the break
Pictures were about the FMC trip to Halifax
A meeting of the Federation of Canadian Municipalities (FCM) brings me to Halifax, Nova Scotia. Primarily the issues do deal with municipalities and tend to general over Canada, so there is little to write about that would be of interest to the North Shuswap. They too in Halifax have had a cool and wet spring (now summer). The first day of jet lag was warmed by unusual spotted sunshine dotting the landscape. White skin was in vogue, as the locals quickly tried to grasp some sunshine on to their newly hatched like, bodies. Halifax its self is much like Vancouver was 40 years ago, old houses in around the business center, the some homes in slight state of dis-repair and slow. A noticeable contingency of the Canadian military, they are mostly naval personnel; young kids in their blue and whites with tags of bars showing their rank. History is everywhere the sandstone building of brown and red dot the city, a city rebuilt after the disastrous explosion of military ships that temporarily emptied the harbor of water, during the War to end all wars, war.
One of the tours I took; was the cooling system for the government buildings in Dartmouth. Apparently it is a large cost of a building is to keep it cool, in fact it its costs are higher than to keep it warm. Dartmouth devised a plan of pumping cold sea water from the depths of the harbor into rock drilled 500’ deep. It does this through the winter season using the rock as a “cold sink” to hold the 5 degree water to be used later in the summer. They had planned to save $250,000 per year but the increase in energy costs (the use coal fired electrical generators) pushed the saving for cooling their buildings to $400,000 per year. The system is quiet and they do not have to maintain air conditioners and will be a major factor in future savings of the system.
This same sort of technology could be used in the Shuswap for their buildings, better in fact because there would be no need for the special piping because of the corrosiveness that the sea water has on equipment.
The trade show had some on interesting displays that could be of value to the North Shuswapians; soil stability company (with an office in Vernon) that drills a rebar in the soil to keep the stability, of a low impact method taking up very little room; it uses drought resistant grass that adapts to a range of soil conditions and takes 8-12 weeks to establish. Biomass heating systems, solar heating systems ….Improving travel in small & rural communities by giving arrange of opportunities such as walking, cycling, transit or carpooling. Why herbicides should be used and the stringent safety measures that are gone through to make sure they are safe. Rain barrels systems;”1 inch of rain on a 1000’ square rood will produce 600 gallons of water”. Composting systems-that produce in10 days; from unstable putrescible waste.
The question is so often asked is it worth it to the tax payer to send out all the politicians to these conferences. Hard question to answer so many different people go there and different ones get different things out of these meetings. Often most people you talk to feel it is a perk for all the thankless work they do and the long hours they put in, for little pay they get. Dealing with governments is not like anything else, I have ever dealt with. It is not like you get up in the morning go to work and you have accomplished something. It is nebulous; you can try to push some great way of saving the planet and virginity, only to find yourself pushed out. Meanwhile mention one thing in passing and it comes to be, with little or no effort. The efforts of rural directors going to FCM have resulted in a “gas tax fund” for the North Shuswap well into the $100,000s of dollars. Though I personally was not involved in that push for federal tax dollars to come back to the North Shuswap, it was the collective work of local governments that brought it about. I think the fund to the North Shuswap is well in the $400,000 range. That buys a lot of lobster and flights to Halifax. Do I find the talks especially illuminating and do I take in every talk; no- I do not. It is much too much for me and I have to often take a walk or do something to get your head out of the fog. I do what I can socialize, eat and drink what I can… for all of you and enjoy it. I did discover a grant opportunity for the culture and arts that may be of use the CSRD.
It is never forgotten from my end that it is your tax dollars that allow me to be here and I appreciate, that. Thanks to all of you, for allowing me to be at these conferences.
A meeting of the Federation of Canadian Municipalities (FCM) brings me to Halifax, Nova Scotia. Primarily the issues do deal with municipalities and tend to general over Canada, so there is little to write about that would be of interest to the North Shuswap. They too in Halifax have had a cool and wet spring (now summer). The first day of jet lag was warmed by unusual spotted sunshine dotting the landscape. White skin was in vogue, as the locals quickly tried to grasp some sunshine on to their newly hatched like, bodies. Halifax its self is much like Vancouver was 40 years ago, old houses in around the business center, the some homes in slight state of dis-repair and slow. A noticeable contingency of the Canadian military, they are mostly naval personnel; young kids in their blue and whites with tags of bars showing their rank. History is everywhere the sandstone building of brown and red dot the city, a city rebuilt after the disastrous explosion of military ships that temporarily emptied the harbor of water, during the War to end all wars, war.
One of the tours I took; was the cooling system for the government buildings in Dartmouth. Apparently it is a large cost of a building is to keep it cool, in fact it its costs are higher than to keep it warm. Dartmouth devised a plan of pumping cold sea water from the depths of the harbor into rock drilled 500’ deep. It does this through the winter season using the rock as a “cold sink” to hold the 5 degree water to be used later in the summer. They had planned to save $250,000 per year but the increase in energy costs (the use coal fired electrical generators) pushed the saving for cooling their buildings to $400,000 per year. The system is quiet and they do not have to maintain air conditioners and will be a major factor in future savings of the system.
This same sort of technology could be used in the Shuswap for their buildings, better in fact because there would be no need for the special piping because of the corrosiveness that the sea water has on equipment.
The trade show had some on interesting displays that could be of value to the North Shuswapians; soil stability company (with an office in Vernon) that drills a rebar in the soil to keep the stability, of a low impact method taking up very little room; it uses drought resistant grass that adapts to a range of soil conditions and takes 8-12 weeks to establish. Biomass heating systems, solar heating systems ….Improving travel in small & rural communities by giving arrange of opportunities such as walking, cycling, transit or carpooling. Why herbicides should be used and the stringent safety measures that are gone through to make sure they are safe. Rain barrels systems;”1 inch of rain on a 1000’ square rood will produce 600 gallons of water”. Composting systems-that produce in10 days; from unstable putrescible waste.
The question is so often asked is it worth it to the tax payer to send out all the politicians to these conferences. Hard question to answer so many different people go there and different ones get different things out of these meetings. Often most people you talk to feel it is a perk for all the thankless work they do and the long hours they put in, for little pay they get. Dealing with governments is not like anything else, I have ever dealt with. It is not like you get up in the morning go to work and you have accomplished something. It is nebulous; you can try to push some great way of saving the planet and virginity, only to find yourself pushed out. Meanwhile mention one thing in passing and it comes to be, with little or no effort. The efforts of rural directors going to FCM have resulted in a “gas tax fund” for the North Shuswap well into the $100,000s of dollars. Though I personally was not involved in that push for federal tax dollars to come back to the North Shuswap, it was the collective work of local governments that brought it about. I think the fund to the North Shuswap is well in the $400,000 range. That buys a lot of lobster and flights to Halifax. Do I find the talks especially illuminating and do I take in every talk; no- I do not. It is much too much for me and I have to often take a walk or do something to get your head out of the fog. I do what I can socialize, eat and drink what I can… for all of you and enjoy it. I did discover a grant opportunity for the culture and arts that may be of use the CSRD.
It is never forgotten from my end that it is your tax dollars that allow me to be here and I appreciate, that. Thanks to all of you, for allowing me to be at these conferences.
Saturday, June 11, 2011
No logs FLOOD UPDATE
sorry
business keeps me from adding more stuff to the Blog it may be a few more days before I GET BACK TO THE bLOG BUISNESS.
On average, the levels of Shuswap Lake, Mara Lake, and Little Shuswap Lake are consistent in height.
As of today, the recording gauges on Shuswap Lake indicate the lake level has reached 348.22 metres, or
reached the 1 in 2 Year Flood Return Level.
While there is still substantial snow pack left at the high elevations, the weather is cooperating and the melt is
not flowing down too quickly at the moment. Environment Canada is not forecasting any significant changes
to the weather pattern for the next 5-6 days that has the potential to radically alter the rate of snowpack melt.
However, with the remaining snow levels, there is a strong likelihood the level of Shuswap Lake may rise to
reach the 1 in 5 Year Flood Return Level, or 348.7 metres, similar to where the lake peaked in 2008.
The 1 in 5 Year Flood Return Level could be reached in 10 – 15 days, depending on the weather.
Lakeshore property owners are advised to take all necessary actions to minimize potential impacts to their
property and docks due to the high lake levels and potential wave action.
business keeps me from adding more stuff to the Blog it may be a few more days before I GET BACK TO THE bLOG BUISNESS.
On average, the levels of Shuswap Lake, Mara Lake, and Little Shuswap Lake are consistent in height.
As of today, the recording gauges on Shuswap Lake indicate the lake level has reached 348.22 metres, or
reached the 1 in 2 Year Flood Return Level.
While there is still substantial snow pack left at the high elevations, the weather is cooperating and the melt is
not flowing down too quickly at the moment. Environment Canada is not forecasting any significant changes
to the weather pattern for the next 5-6 days that has the potential to radically alter the rate of snowpack melt.
However, with the remaining snow levels, there is a strong likelihood the level of Shuswap Lake may rise to
reach the 1 in 5 Year Flood Return Level, or 348.7 metres, similar to where the lake peaked in 2008.
The 1 in 5 Year Flood Return Level could be reached in 10 – 15 days, depending on the weather.
Lakeshore property owners are advised to take all necessary actions to minimize potential impacts to their
property and docks due to the high lake levels and potential wave action.
Monday, June 6, 2011
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