Is the City of Vernon being a good neighbour when it comes to flood protection?

Local governments are constantly telling home owners it’s their responsibility to protect their own homes from flooding. But should the city also be stepping in to protect its own property?

One Vernon, B.C. resident believes the municipality isn’t being a good neighbour.

Kim Henderson lives on Okanagan Lake near where Vernon Creek flows into the lake. Her yard and outbuildings are swamped by flood water.

“The last three weeks we have been watching the lake levels quickly rise. A few weeks ago we started sandbagging the beach as fast as we could along with everyone that lives on this street,” said Henderson.

She is disappointed the municipal government hasn’t been doing the same.

The city control part of the property between her home and Vernon Creek but the sandbags between the creek and her home were put out by residents.

“We are told over and over and over again by the city to do everything we can to protect our properties from increasing flood waters. Yet they are doing nothing to protect their [property],” Henderson said.

Tweet This Click to share quote on Twitter: "We are told over and over and over again by the city to do everything we can to protect our properties from increasing flood waters. Yet they are doing nothing to protect their [property]," Henderson said.

The city said it is protecting its own infrastructure. However, in this case some of the land is outside the city’s jurisdiction and the city has no assets to protect at the site.

The mayor came to take a look at the area on Monday and talked about getting residents dirt to create a berm.

“The city is doing what we can. We are supplying what we can for the residents. The city can’t go to resident properties and be sandbagging on properties,” said Mund.

Tweet This Click to share quote on Twitter: "The city is doing what we can. We are supplying what we can for the residents. The city can't go to resident properties and be sandbagging on properties," said Mund.

Concerns about water level management

Meanwhile, some in Vernon wonder if the province could have done a better job of managing the water levels in Okanagan Lake. Some believe they should have released more water earlier in the year and that might have helped prevent the flooding problems residents are dealing with now.

In a written statement to Global News the province did not directly address concerns about water level management in Okanagan Lake.

However, that had changed by April 1 when the local snow pack was 105 per cent of normal levels. By May 1 the snowpack was 147 per cent of what’s normal.

“As soon as the ministry, and government, became aware for the potential for flooding, they communicated that to local government so they could make the appropriate flood preparation arrangements,” said Shaun Reimer with the Ministry of Forests, Lands and Natural Resources Operations in a written statement.