They are not the numbers residents living in the West Quesnel Land Stability area want to hear.
A report was released at Tuesday night’s City Council meeting.
Chris Coben is the Director of Infrastructure and Capital Works.
“In 2020, we saw the most movement we have in a number of years. 84 millimetres, which is a representative sample at our representative station at one of the over 40 sites we monitor horizontal movement.”
To put that in perspective, the ground movement over the past few years has been 12 millimetres in 2019, nine in 2018 and just 6 millimetres in 2017.
Measurements have been taken since 1998 and the only year there was more movement was back in 2005, when there was 87.
A series of pumping wells and horizontal drains have been installed in that area as part of a dewatering program to get water out of the ground to minimize the movement.
Coben says those wells also worked overtime last year.
“In 2020 approximately 123 million litres was removed by the pumping wells, and that’s the highest well production since inception of this program. The horizontal drains drained water as well, in addition to the 123 million drained by the pumping wells.”
Cobin says last year was wetter than normal which likely led to more movement.
As for what all of these numbers mean though, he says they will have to talk to the geotechnical engineers.
“This report was recently received so as staff there are questions to gather for the consultants, and to arrange some meetings to answer some of the questions that we have.”
Cobin says a report will then be brought back to Council.
That will likely happen in the fall.
There are roughly 750 homes in the West Quesnel Land Stability area.
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