Frequently Asked Questions

The City of Merritt, in collaboration with provincial and federal agencies, provided resources and support for recovery efforts, including financial assistance, reconstruction guidelines, and mental health services.

No single source is able to fund the $130-$160 million required for the complete build-out of the Flood Mitigation Plan.  Additionally, the expense of this program would not be feasibly supported by the tax base within the City of Merritt.

However, a future flood event similar to the November 2021 event would be expected to incur well over $200 million in disaster response and recovery costs to multiple levels of government, so Merritt elected officials have been strongly messaging senior government that it is wiser to pay to protect rather than recover.

One of the initial and primary tasks assigned to the Flood Mitigation Team is breaking the overall Flood Mitigation Plan into separate discrete projects that will qualify for the limited and competitive funding that is currently available from senior government.

To date, multiple projects have been funded through the Province of BC’s Disaster Risk Reduction grant stream, Provincial Disaster Financial Assistance, Federal Investing in Canada Infrastructure funds, and several off-program funding sources.

One of the large grant programs identified was the federal Disaster Mitigation and Adaptation Fund.  In 2024, under advisement from the Federal and Provincial governments, the City spent significant amounts of time and funds to apply for this program.  Unfortunately, the City was denied access to funds under this program.

During the November 2021, Minister Bill Blair visited Merritt and promised that the federal government would help Merritt build protections against future funds.  Merritt staff and elected officials continue to advocate to the federal government for reconsideration under the DMAF program, or direction for another funding source to make good on this promise.

You can download a copy of the Flood Mitigation Plan here.

The IEP was built together with the 6 Nicola Valley Indigenous bands, and started with a single question.  “How can we work together to build better communication and relationships?”

The Indigenous Engagement Plan answers this question through several information sharing commitments, based on what we heard from our surrounding partner communities and land rights-holders.  These commitments reflect our desire to engage early and often, provide predictable two-way communication, and ensure honest and transparent efforts are made to receive and integrate input into projects during the planning stage.

This IEP applies to all projects undertaken by the Merritt Flood Mitigation Team, while also building pathways and relationships with City of Merritt staff and elected officials and all Nicola Valley bands.

• Coldwater Indian Band
• Cook’s Ferry Indian Band
• Lower Nicola Indian Band
• Nooaitch (Noo-eye-ch) Indian Band
• Shacken Indian Band
• Upper Nicola Band

The Indigenous Engagement Plan outlines specific and repeatable engagement opportunities for each individual project.  While additional engagement opportunities may be added on certain projects, these specified engagement points were identified after significant discussion with Nicola Valley bands.

Copies are available on-line here.

The comprehensive Flood Mitigation Plan adopted by council in 2022, once fully built out, is expected to protect City residents and infrastructure from a future 1-in-200 year flood.

The City of Merritt has received Provincial funds to establish a temporary Flood Mitigation Team, with the responsibility to find funding and execute this plan.

You can view the Flood Mitigation Plan online here.

The Flood Mitigation Plan identified 7 different strategic areas where flood mitigation infrastructure is required.  After community and indigenous consultation, specific protection measures were evaluated on a multi-criteria analysis using 5 specific areas.

The ending plan consisted of a variety of flood mitigation methods, including: dike rebuilding, new dike building, pump stations, river dredging, moving infrastructure, and managed retreat. 

Updated maximum river levels are due to two different factors:

1. An increased understanding of the Coldwater River watershed.
   • Additional hydrological engineering has increased our understanding of potential flow rates in the Coldwater River.
   • Infrastructure was initially build to withstand a 1-in-200 year flood of approximately 130 cubic meters per second of flow.  Updating understanding has increased this 1-in-200 year event to 376 cubic meters per second.

2. Updated climate change predictions to comply with Government of BC regulations.
   • All new engineering of flow rates on rivers in BC needs to contain an adjustment for climate change.  While this is not an exact science, several engineering firms have produced reports indicating a range of potential increases in flow rate.  This has resulted in an additional 29% being added to the potential 1 in 200 year flow rate.

These two factors combined have seen the need to increase our infrastructure to accommodate a flow rate of 490cms. 

This large variance from the pre-2021 value of 130cms means that any dikes that would be permitted by the province would need to be substantially higher and wider, or alternatively they would be set back further from the river, allowing more space for flooding.

This diking system will be built as a setback dike, which will require additional land along the Coldwater River.  Part of the funding for the project includes full and partial acquisitions for certain properties along the river.

These property acquisitions have been costed and planned by a third party, and all discussions and purchases will be conducted by a third party, not directly by City of Merritt staff.

If you have any questions regarding how your property may be directly affected, please email floodmitigation@merritt.ca, include your name, address and questions.

When constructing registered dikes, the Province of BC Diking Authority requires structures to be built to withstand a 1-in-200 year flood. Modern convention has required the Engineer of Record to add an extra amount to account for future climate change to this total. This modelling indicates a total water flow expected in a flood period, expressed as a number of Cubic Meters per Second (CMS).

The most recent analysis was done by BGC Engineering, and a draft copy was made available in 2021, shortly before the flood. This report indicated a 1-in-200 year standard of 154 CMS, and a 1-in-500-year expectation of 163 CMS.

This compares closely to previous studies done. The Province of BC had previously estimated a 1-in-200-year level of 138 CMS, and a 1-in-500-year level of 148 CMS. Even further back, the Nicola River Floodplain Mapping project in 1988 indicated a 1-in-200 year flow of 148 CMS.

Infrastructure existing along the Coldwater was built to the existing standards and engineering knowledge at the time. For example, the Middlesboro Bridge was built in 1974 and built to a standard of under 150 CMS.

Dike 129 and 130 were initially constructed as temporary flood protections after an ice jam flood in the early 1970’s. Subsequent ice jam and other flooding events occurred on the Coldwater River, and these dikes were rebuilt and realigned multiple times over the intervening decades.

The flow levels these structures were designed for varies based on the construction, but generally they were designed for extreme flow rates between 120 CMS and 150 CMS.

The short answer is that we don’t know for sure as the flood event broke all the gauges, but the best guess is 320-400 CMS.

Significant research was done by multiple agencies after the flood event, using a variety of engineering techniques from rainfall analysis, volumetric studies, and even video water-speed analysis.  Coldwater River flow estimates from the BC River Forecast Center, Canadian Hydrographic Service, multiple engineering firms, and even an academic paper initially indicated flows from 180 CMS to 450 CMS, which was later refined to 320-400 CMS.

Rivers fall under provincial jurisdiction and we understand that the province is considering this option and is in the process of balancing various considerations.

There is no identified funding for such purchases. The City of Merritt encourages homeowners not to delay rebuilding and repairing their homes.

The City of Merritt encourages homeowners not to delay rebuilding and repairing their homes.

AE — Associated Engineering
AiA — Archeological Impact Assessment
AOA— Archeological Overview Assessment
BCR— Band Council Resolution
BGC —BGC Engineering
CCDC — Canadian Construction Document Contractor (Bidding Method)
C-CRP — Coldwater River Renewal Plan
C-EDR— Coldwater Existing Dike Replacement
CEMP— Construction Environmental Management Plan
C-EPA — Coldwater Expanded Protection Area
CEPF — Community Emergency Preparation Fund (UBCM)
C-LAP — Coldwater Land Acquisition Program
CNA — Citxw Nlaka’pamux Assembly-8 bands working together
CO — Change Order
DFA (DFAA) — Disaster Financial Assistance-Arrangements
DFO — Department of Fisheries and Oceans
DiOD — Deputy inspector of Dikes
DMA — Dike Maintenance Act
DRR — Disaster Risk Reduction
EM — Environmental Monitor
EMCR — Emergency Management and Climate Readiness
ENV — Ministry of the Environment
EoR — Engineer of Record
Green-ARDM — Green Umbrella-Adaptation, resilience and disaster mitigation program (Under DMAF)
IDL — Construction Company (IDL Projects Inc)
IEP — Indigenous Engagement Plan
IFC — Issued for Construction (Last stage)
IFT — Issued for Tender
MMCD — BC Standard of Construction Bidding
MOU — Mode of Understanding
MVP — Minimum Viable Product
NOI — Notice of Intent
NWGP — Nicola Watershed Governing Partnership
OCP — Official Community Plan
OPC — Operational Project cost
PM — Project Management
RAPR — Riparian Areas Protection Regulation (RAPR)
REB — Requisition change on drawing
RFP — Request for Proposal
RFI — Request for Information
ROC — Recovery Operations Centre
RPU — Resiliency Project Update
SLT — Senior Leadership Team
SOQ — Statement of Quantity
TOR — Terms of Reference
UBCM — Union of British Columbia Municipalities
URSUS — Ursus Wildlands Consulting, an environmental consulting firm
WLRS — Water, Land and Resource Stewardship

For up-to-date notices and alerts, please visit the City of Merritt website here.

Climate change has been identified as a significant factor, contributing to more extreme weather events. The Flood Mitigation Plan incorporates climate change projections to ensure resilience against future conditions.

Warning: river levels have exceeded bank-full or will exceed bank-full imminently, and flooding of areas adjacent to the rivers affected will result.

Watch: river levels are rising and will approach or may exceed bank-full. Flooding of areas adjacent to affected rivers may occur.

Funded Diking Sections
C-EPA N Dike 407 = 270m
C-EPA Claybanks = 190m

Unfunded Diking Sections
C-EDR Dike 129 = 1.56km
C-EDR Dike 130 = 1.34km
C-EPA Middlesboro P1 = 90m
C-EPA Middlesboro P2 = 135m
C-EPA Middlesboro P3 = 550m
C-EPA Godey = 740m

Previously Funded Bank Stabilization
Fir Ave Bank = 120m

Natural shorelines, formed by the river itself, rely heavily on vegetation to stabilize the banks. This method works only in areas where the river has much room to meander side to side. This decreased shoreline stress would allow vegetation to quickly regrow and reinforce any sections that might erode when a tree falls, keeping the area stable even during high water levels.

In contrast, man-made dikes function differently. In Merritt, with narrow river corridors running through town due to often unchecked shoreline development over the expansion of the City since its inception, there simply isn’t enough space to support a natural river flow in all areas.

This is why our diking system is necessary.

Unfortunately, if there were tree’s rooted in or near the rock structure of these dikes, it would pose a significant risk. When a tree falls, it will pull part of the dike structure with it. With the confined spaces and the new reality of high water flows, this can and will lead to a breach, resulting in flooding and damage to the community once again.

It’s difficult for our team each time a tree is removed. The Flood Mitigation, Design, Environmental and Engineering teams look at all the options for each section to minimize environmental impact both in the water and on the shoreline with all of our projects.

The City will generally conduct a quote or competition process for procurements, in accordance with its purchasing policy, to ensure that the City achieves best overall value. Most procurements for this project are anticipated to exceed the thresholds* of the New West Partnership Trade Agreement (NWPTA); which is a trade agreement between the Provinces of British Columbia, Alberta, Saskatchewan and Manitoba; and are therefore required to be conducted through open public competition (e.g. a publicly-advertised Request for Proposals or Invitation to Tender process).

One objective of the NWPTA is to promote open and free trade among Canada’s Western Provinces, meaning that the City must provide equal treatment to all companies that bid such public competitions, regardless of whether such companies are considered local or not.

That said, companies that are based locally will often have an inherent advantage of lower costs to reach the site, and the City actively encourages local companies to engage with procurements issued by the City.

Local companies may contact the Flood Mitigation Team to gain updates on potential procurement windows for the project and are advised to register on BC Bid (https://www.bcbid.gov.bc.ca) where companies can receive certain notifications. When the City issues a public competition which exceeds the NWPTA thresholds*, it will be advertised on BC Bid and the competition details will include full instructions on how a company can register and participate in the competition. A contact person is also provided for each competition in case a potential bidder has questions on how to submit a proposal.

*Note: Under NWPTA, public competition is required >$75k for goods/services, >$200k for construction.

In accordance with the City’s Purchasing Policy and requirements of the New West Partnership Trade Agreement (NWPTA); most contractors that work on the project will be selected through open public competition, to ensure that the City achieves best overall value. 

The City will often recruit a ‘general contractor’ for construction, that will in-turn likely contract with ‘subcontractors’ and suppliers.  Individuals that are interested in working on the project may wish to seek out firms that are likely interested in participating in the project either as a general contractor or subcontractor/supplier. 

Due to requirements for open public competition under NWPTA, and under a typical City agreement with contractors; the City cannot influence contractor hiring and recruitment decisions, however the City will be able to provide a list of companies that register for most competitions and local individuals may contact these regarding job opportunities.

The City of Merritt had protective diking structures prior to the 2021 Atmospheric River Event (ARE) but they were destroyed during the event. These structures were built to withstand up to 130 cubic meters per second of water.

The 2021 ARE saw volumes between 320 and 400 cubic meters per second. Current engineering predicts a new 1-in-200-year flood of 490 cubic meters per second, which puts 1,144 additional houses in the updated flood zone.

New construction must be certified to a 1-in-200-year standard, so Merritt was not able to build back the pre-existing dike and would need to build new structures to accommodate 280% more water. Engineering this sort of upgrade and finding land to put the new diking on is a significant and unique challenge, and Merritt has been working closely with the Province of BC since the 2021 ARE to solve this challenge.

This project will dramatically lower the risk of future flooding in Merritt, allow protection of homes and critical infrastructure, provide resident financial and personal security, and allow Merritt to truly move on from the devastating 2021 flood.

The structures funded under this announcement run from the newly constructed Middlesboro Bridge down to the confluence of the Nicola and Coldwater Rivers.

These structures will be significantly more resilient than the prior diking and will also be constructed in a more ecologically sensitive manner. Priority has been given to building setback dikes, which is possible in approximately 70% of the 2.9km of diking. Therefore, the river will only touch the diking structures during periods of high water.

During much of the year, this project will provide ‘room for the river’. This project will also increase riverside habitat, public recreation space, and decrease maintenance costs compared to a typical waterside dike.

Specific diking footprints will be updated as the project progresses into detailed engineering, and flood.merritt.ca will always have the most up-to-date information on this project.

This announcement covers a large portion of the diking system, but not all of it. The council-adopted 2022 Flood Mitigation Plan contains 4.9km of diking and 390 meters of bank stabilization on the Coldwater River.

This announcement allows the building of 2.9km (60%) of the system. Importantly, this section of diking is anticipated to be the most complex to build and provides significant city protection from future Coldwater River flooding.

An additional 0.46km (10%) of the diking has already been funded by other Provincial funding sources.

This leaves a further 1.5km (30%) of diking along the Coldwater that is not yet funded. The City will continue to work with Provincial sources but will especially be looking towards the Federal Government for assistance on the remaining components of the diking system.

The $60 million announcement includes the costs of detailed engineering, land acquisition, environmental and archeological studies, dike construction, and environmental offsetting costs.

This funding is provided by the Government of British Columbia, through the Ministry of Emergency Management and Climate Readiness. Please refer to the associated Press Release located here.

This $60 million is being provided by the Province of BC to Merritt. While the federal government promised aid in rebuilding and mitigation during the 2021 event, federal funding has been absent since that time.

Direct federal contribution has been limited to $2.3 million for the STUWI(x) project. The City of Merritt applied for the federal Disaster Mitigation and Adaptation Fund, but was rejected from this program, and no other direct federal funds have been received.

The City of Merritt is thankful to have completed the vital Public Works diking project in fall 2024 and is using the information gathered from that project to inform the larger Dike 129 and Dike 130 Program.

Based on this experience the initial estimated timeline for completion is 4 to 6 years, but this may change as design and construction planning progress. While still in early stages, the project has completed key studies, including conceptual work, costing, and environmental assessments. It now moves into the construction planning phase, with timelines to be released as work advances.

One key challenge is the short allowable work window on the Coldwater River, which is limited to just 11 days per year. Progression and completion of this project will depend on permitting authorities granting permission to work outside this window. Additionally, very few diking projects have been completed in BC over the past five years, creating uncertainty in planning timelines.

For updates, follow along on our Social Media Presence on LinkedIn, Facebook and on our website: flood.merritt.ca

The Flood Mitigation Team is responsible for moving the conceptual plan into a construction plan, and then constructing the diking funded in this announcement. This requires detailed engineering and permitting from multiple government bodies that takes from 4-8 months to approve. In addition, the allowable work window on the Coldwater is only 11 days during the summer unless the regulators choose to extend this window.

Construction start and timeline will mostly depend on what is permissible by the regulatory bodies.

As the detailed construction planning and engineering progresses, more timeline details will be made available. For updates, follow along on our Social Media Presence on LinkedIn, Facebook and on our website: flood.merritt.ca

The City of Merritt Flood Mitigation Team, together with our surrounding Indigenous partners, have developed a BC-leading Indigenous Engagement Plan (IEP), with a full time Indigenous Engagement Manager who is responsible for implementing this plan.

This IEP is available in its entirety at flood.merritt.ca

This diking system will be built as a setback dike, which will require additional land along the Coldwater River.  Part of the funding for the project includes full and partial acquisitions for certain properties along the river.

These property acquisitions have been costed and planned by a third party, and all discussions and purchases will be conducted by a third party, not directly by City of Merritt staff.

Contact with potentially affected landowners will occur in 2 stages.

• Spring 2025 - A letter will be sent out to all potentially affected landowners advising of the potential impacts. Engineering and acquisition staff may be available at this point, but as the final footprint is not set, financial compensation information will not be provided.
• Fall 2025 – The third-party property acquisition team will contact the landowner to discuss details of the acquisition as the final footprint becomes clearer. All inquiries and discussions will be held at arms-length from the City.  This third-party team will ensure compensation occurs in a fair and timely manner and is in accordance with all applicable laws and standards.

Additionally, as this is a large construction project, many properties and streets will experience temporary construction disruption.  This is anticipated to be the largest project in the history of Merritt, so some patience with construction crews and noise will be needed by us all.

If you have any questions regarding how your property may be directly affected by the Dike 129/130 Project, please email floodmitigation@merritt.ca, include your name, address and questions.

The final dike footprint will need to be confirmed through a multi-month engineering process, and only after this point will the land acquisition footprint be finalized.  Until that time, compensation offers will not be available.

As per the previous question, potentially affected landowners will be notified shortly, and will be advised of next steps and timelines for valuation and offers on properties.

Residents can support by:

• Attending public engagement sessions
• Staying informed and sharing project updates

This project is anticipated to significantly alleviate housing challenges within the City of Merritt. Prior to the 2021 event, there were 130 houses in the anticipated floodplain.  Revised engineering after the event indicated 1,274 were in the new floodplain, meaning densifying, building, permitting, and all housing activities are extremely difficult in that area. 

While the ideal plan would be to re-locate all these houses, this is over 35% of the housing stock in Merritt and in addition to the billions of dollars in cost, Merritt does not have developable land to move people to.

Having no flood protections in that area at all meant stagnating neighborhoods and a lack of housing investment.  This protective diking will give homeowners the security and confidence to rebuild homes and will help preserve the very limited building area available for Merritt housing.

The City of Merritt is a registered diking authority, and under Provincial law the city must take ownership of these dikes and maintain them to standards specified in the Dike Management Act.

Reducing maintenance costs was one of the key considerations in the 2022 Flood Mitigation Plan, and the specific dike design has been done to ensure maintenance requirements are lower than traditional diking.

The new diking elevation will vary depending on the location due to the slope of the river and the amount of setback but will be between 0.3m and 1.8m meters higher than the previous diking.

The 2022 Flood Mitigation Plan specifies 2 pump stations to ensure stormwater is conveyed appropriately. 

The first and largest of these is located near the Middlesborough Bridge and is already funded by the Government of BC. 

The second pump station is located near the end of Canford Avenue, and City staff continue to look for funding for this station.

Eliminating downstream risk transference was a key consideration in the conceptual plan.  The City of Merritt has worked extremely hard to make a flow velocity reduction area before water leaves the City. 

This is the STUWI(x) project, which is funded and underway. 

The STUWI(x) project involves naturalizing 5 hectares of land at the confluence of the Nicola and Coldwater Rivers, ensuring that Merritt diking will not cause increased velocity and flood risk downstream.

The City of Merritt recognizes that each community's flood recovery journey is unique.

While we are committed to supporting regional recovery efforts, we are not able to speak to the specific progress or circumstances of other communities.

No specific engineering reason.

The path to funding the Dike 129/130 project is different than the C-EPA Middlesboro Phase 1.

Dike 129/130 were existing dikes prior to the flood, and this is actually a ‘rebuilding’ project, although the need to build higher and wider means they will look much different.

The C-EPA Middlesboro P1 section is a brand new dike, and senior government funding opportunities for projects like this are extremely competitive and far more difficult to find and successfully win.

The 2022 Flood Mitigation Plan calls for approximately 5km’s of diking work, and several hundred meters of bank protection.

This plan is intended to work as a system, and will only provide full protection when it is 100% complete.

The City of Merritt applied for federal and provincial funding sources for the entire project, but no senior government supported and funded the entire system at once. Additionally, the City of Merritt is not in a financial position to execute this plan alone. Therefore, the Flood Mitigation Team has been working to execute the entire plan in smaller sections, based on current grants and funding sources.

So the priority at this point has been based on whether the project could be funded by senior government.

The protection from Dike 129 & 130 will only serve as protection in that area of the City.

Dike 129 & 130 are part of the 2022 FMP operates as a system, and the Team is working hard to find funding to achieve 100% protection.

Until full completion of the FMP, all other exposed areas would have to be protected by the emergency response capabilities of the City and EMCR. This would include emergency flood protection measures like sandbagging, gabion baskets, and other temporary emergency flood protection methods.

The shape of the 5km of overall diking was designed by hydrological engineers and approved by council in the 2022 Flood Mitigation Plan.

As individual sections of dike are funded and built, the hydrological modelling is updated and more detailed engineering is completed.

This may result in changes to the final design of the dike compared to the initial conceptual model, if they are recommended and endorsed by the Engineer-of-Record for the project.

It’s important to note that bends and structure in the river serve to decrease the velocity of the river, lessening the destructive power downstream.

This trade-off between deceleration and efficiently moving water through is modelled and signed off by the Engineer of Record for the diking system.

The Merritt Flood Mitigation Team can be reached at floodmitigation@merritt.ca, or at flood.merritt.ca/contact-us

This temporary team provides experienced assistance and capacity augmentation to the City of Merritt permanent staff, leadership, and council. 

As a community-led effort, the Flood Mitigation Department still reports to CAO and Mayor/Council, so typical channels of communication through city staff and elected officials is also available.

Early May; watch the Claybanks RV website for their reservation portal to open.

Yes, 22 fully serviced public reservable sites will be available, with a limited portion of the RV Park remaining open during construction.

Access will be maintained throughout, and any changes or detours will be clearly communicated in advance to ensure a smooth experience for visitors.

Some guests may choose alternate accommodations due to on-site dike construction, which could temporarily affect occupancy.

Temporary fencing and signage will separate construction areas from the RV park, but the park layout will still obtain a perimeter road to ensure vehicles and trailers can safely navigate to their reserved spots.

Identified green spaces adjacent to the construction zone may be temporarily inaccessible for safety reasons.

All other core amenities within the park will remain operational.

Please refer to the photos on the Claybanks website  for an update on the park’s current recovery progress.

While key infrastructure has been restored and is fully operational, the natural regrowth of trees and grass is still in its early stages.

With ongoing dike construction nearby, we anticipate it may take 2–3 years for the Claybanks RV Park to return to its pre-flood condition.

Yes, there will unfortunately be an increase in dust and noise levels during active construction hours.

Dust control measures (e.g., water spraying, erosion control) and noise mitigation practices will be in place to limit the impact on nearby areas.

Yes, significant disruption is expected.

Construction vehicles and equipment will generate daytime noise and vibrations. Traffic patterns near the park entrance will also be affected during specific phases of the work.

No significant disruptions to utilities are anticipated.

Any planned interruptions will be communicated in advance and scheduled during off-peak hours wherever possible.

Safety is a top priority.

Barriers, fencing, and clear signage will be used to prevent access to hazardous areas.

Construction zones will be physically separated from public access routes.

The site will use fencing and posted signage to delineate work areas.

Construction crews will adhere to strict safety protocols, and site supervisors will be on hand to monitor boundaries and public safety.

Typical construction hours will be from 7:00 AM to 7 PM, Monday through Saturday.

No work is expected on Sundays or statutory holidays unless otherwise required.

Unless advertised on the Online booking system, regular pricing will remain in effect.

We understand that the dike construction will be disruptive; however, refunds will not be available due to the high demand, and the clear communication of the RV Parks current recovery state.

We appreciate your patience as this work is essential to safeguarding our community from future flooding.

Reservation Links will be here: https://www.claybanksrv.ca/

There will be attendants available to support our campers during normal work hours. Availability of attendees will be outlined on the Claybanks RV Park Website.

Inquiries 250-315-1050 (City of Merritt Civic Centre) during hours of operation M-F 8-4:30pm, or email claybanks@merritt.ca

The Municipal Sani dump is located across the road from the Claybanks RV park.

Note: Each one of our available sites is a fully serviced site.

8am-10pm, Bathrooms and showers will be cleaned mid day.

Prior to the 2021 Atmospheric River Event (ARE), all flood modelling and protections on the Coldwater River were done with a water flow level of 130 cubic meters per second.  The Nov 2021 ARE saw 320-400 cubic meters per second, and the new flood modelling and protection standard is 490 cubic meters per second.

This means that areas of the City that were not previously in the flood inundation zone, are now at risk and the pre-existing flood protections need to be built to accommodate more flow.

The North bank of the Coldwater River upstream of the Middlesboro bridge is one of these newly at-risk areas and requires new flood infrastructure to protect the residents in this area. 

The City of Merritt has very limited tax dollars available for these large and complex projects, so the project is being built in a phased approach as senior government funding is available.

On February 3rd 2023 the Government of BC awarded Merritt a $2 million grant to build the C-EPA Claybanks Dike.  This new C-EPA Middlesboro Phase 1 project, will continue this diking and get the City of Merritt closer to the completion of the 2022 Flood Mitigation Plan.

In the below image, the new diking will be located in the red shaded area.

This is on the North bank of the Coldwater River, upstream of the Claybanks RV Park, between Garcia St and McMillan St.

This project is fully funded by the Province of BC, through Emergency Management and Climate Readiness BC.

Modern dikes are large and complex projects, requiring significant engineering, permitting, and earthmoving.

The City of Merritt does not have the municipal tax base to support these critical safety projects, so the Government of BC has stepped in to provide assistance.

This project is 100% funded by the Province of BC. No federal funding has been provided to the City of Merritt for this project.

This project will begin engineering and final design immediately.  One key challenge is the short allowable work window on the Coldwater River, which is limited to just 11 days per year. Progression and completion of this project will depend on permitting authorities granting permission to work outside this window. Additionally, very few diking projects have been completed in BC over the past five years, creating uncertainty in planning timelines. 

This project is currently slated for the summer 2026 construction season, but as noted above, many complexities are required to be solved before then.  Therefore, an alternative construction schedule is being prepared with the earthworks being done in the summer 2027 season.

For updates, follow along on our Social Media Presence on LinkedIn, Facebook and on our website: flood.merritt.ca

The City of Merritt Flood Mitigation Team, together with our surrounding Indigenous partners, have developed a BC-leading Indigenous Engagement Plan (IEP), with a full time Indigenous Engagement Manager who is responsible for implementing this plan.

This IEP is available in its entirety at flood.merritt.ca

Property owners that may be potentially affected will be contacted directly to discuss next steps.

Contact with potentially affected landowners will occur in 2 stages.

• Spring 2025 - A letter will be sent out to all potentially affected landowners advising of the potential impacts. Engineering and acquisition staff may be available at this point, but as the final footprint is not set, financial compensation information will not be able to be provided.
• Fall 2025 – The third-party property acquisition team will contact the landowner to discuss details of the acquisition as the final footprint becomes clearer. All inquiries and discussions will be held at arms-length from the City.  This third-party team will ensure compensation occurs in a fair and timely manner and is in accordance with all applicable laws and standards.

Additionally, as this is a part of the overall Flood Mitigation Plan (FMP) project, many properties and streets will experience temporary construction disruption as construction unfolds.

If you have any questions regarding how your property may be directly affected by the Project, please email floodmitigation@merritt.ca, include your name, address and questions.

The Merritt Flood Mitigation Team can be reached at floodmitigation@merritt.ca, or at flood.merritt.ca/contact-us

This temporary department provides experienced assistance and capacity augmentation to the City of Merritt permanent staff, leadership, and council. 

As a community-led effort, the Flood Mitigation Department still reports to CAO and Mayor/Council, so typical channels of communication through city staff and elected officials is also available.

The Merritt Flood Mitigation Team can be reached at floodmitigation@merritt.ca, or at flood.merritt.ca/contact-us

This temporary team provides experienced assistance and capacity augmentation to the City of Merritt permanent staff, leadership, and council.

As a community-led effort, the Flood Mitigation Department still reports to CAO and Mayor/Council, so typical channels of communication through city staff and elected officials is also available.

The Merritt Flood Mitigation Team can be reached at floodmitigation@merritt.ca, or at flood.merritt.ca/contact-us

This temporary team provides experienced assistance and capacity augmentation to the City of Merritt permanent staff, leadership, and council.

As a community-led effort, the Flood Mitigation Department still reports to CAO and Mayor/Council, so typical channels of communication through city staff and elected officials is also available.

The Merritt Flood Mitigation Team can be reached at floodmitigation@merritt.ca, or at flood.merritt.ca/contact-us

This temporary team provides experienced assistance and capacity augmentation to the City of Merritt permanent staff, leadership, and council.

As a community-led effort, the Flood Mitigation Department still reports to CAO and Mayor/Council, so typical channels of communication through city staff and elected officials is also available.

The southern British Columbia interior and Nicola Valley are home to Nleʔkepmx and Syilx Nations and the City of Merritt resides within their traditional, ancestral and unceded territories.

The City is committed to engaging with all interested Communities, formally and informally on the STUWI(x) Naturalization project (as of September 24, 2024).

• Coldwater Indian Band
• Cook’s Ferry Indian Band
• Lower Nicola Indian Band
• Nooaitch Indian Band
• Shackan Indian Band
• Upper Nicola Band
• City of Merritt Community Member
• Mike Simpson, MA, RPF
• Tom Willms R.P.Bio
• Charlene Joe; Flood Mitigation, Indigenous Engagement Manager

The Merritt Flood Mitigation Team can be reached at floodmitigation@merritt.ca, or at flood.merritt.ca/contact-us

This temporary team provides experienced assistance and capacity augmentation to the City of Merritt permanent staff, leadership, and council.

As a community-led effort, the Flood Mitigation Department still reports to CAO and Mayor/Council, so typical channels of communication through city staff and elected officials is also available.

The Merritt Flood Mitigation Team can be reached at floodmitigation@merritt.ca, or at flood.merritt.ca/contact-us

This temporary team provides experienced assistance and capacity augmentation to the City of Merritt permanent staff, leadership, and council.

As a community-led effort, the Flood Mitigation Department still reports to CAO and Mayor/Council, so typical channels of communication through city staff and elected officials is also available.