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Culvert replacement project at Sicamous creek almost complete

District grateful for care received by work crew from residents
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An environmental consultant watches Owlhead Creek waters be reintroduced to the channel. (District of Sicamous photo)

A priority infrastructure project in Sicamous is nearing completion.

The Kerr Road culvert replacement project, which has been in operation at Owlhead Creek since the week of July 24, was prioritized in March due to the flood risk the aging infrastructure posed to nearby properties.

Splatsin Development Corporation was chosen for the project, as their estimated cost came in under the district’s proposed budget.

Paving is being scheduled in the area currently, reads a district update. It is expected paving will take a few weeks.

An environmental consultant assigned to the site will continue to monitor the project, ensuring riparian vegetation grows back. Public works personnel will also water the banks to help vegetation grow.

On Aug. 3, the creek was reintroduced into the channel, reads the update. Crews let some water in through the top, allowing it to “wash” the channel and letting it pool on the downstream side until sediment settled. The process took about six and a half hours, ongoing until sediment stopped being stirred up.

After this, the sheet pile coffer dam and pump were removed and the creek was fully reintroduced into the channel.

The district commended residents who live close to the site for taking care of the crew despite disruption and noise disturbance. Residents provided crews with water on hot days and allowed the environmental consultant to measure fish from their lawns.

“Gestures like this go a long way, especially on a project that involves a tight timeline (the ‘fish window’) and hot weather,” reads the district’s post.

Read more: Construction to begin on Owlhead Creek crossing culverts in Sicamous

Read more: New lineup of community minded dancers keen to support Shuswap Hospice


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rebecca.willson@saobserver.net

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Rebecca Willson

About the Author: Rebecca Willson

I took my first step into the journalism industry in November 2022 when I moved to Salmon Arm to work for the Observer and Eagle Valley News. I graduated with a journalism degree in December 2021 from MacEwan University in Edmonton.
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