2021 was another year of pretty significant movement in the West Quesnel Land Stability area.
Chris Cobin, the Director of Capital Works and Infrastructure, went over the numbers at a public meeting on Thursday (June 2) night at Voyageur Elementary School.
“2021 we did show less movement than 2020. We showed 67 millimetres of movement in 2021, which was down from 2020, but still well above what we were seeing from the years from 2013 onward up to the last couple years.”
The 67 millimetres this past year was down from 84 in 2020, but up from just 12, 9, 6 and 14 millimetres in the previous four years.
Cobin says the years with more movement seem to coincide with the years when there is more precipitation.
“Back in 2017 there was roughly 50 million litres removed from the ground, and what we saw in 2020 was the most ground water removed ever which was well over 150 million litres.”
This is done through the series of horizontal drains and pumping wells in the area.
17 million dollars has been invested in this infrastructure.
The city has committed to continue to maintain it and to monitor it.
There are also a few storm drain upgrades that are planned for the area, all designed to remove water.
City Manager Byron Johnson also outlined a few things at the meeting that residents in the area can do to help.
Those include not disturbing soil and to limit tree cutting if possible, to report any water breaks as soon as possible, to divert rainwater and snowmelt to the street, and to minimize lawn watering.
ANNUAL MOVEMENT OVER THE YEARS
1999 80 millimetres
2000 67
2001 62
2002 54
2003 21
2004 22
2005 87
2006 14
2007 24
2008 59
2009 68
2010 6
2011 8
2012 47
2013 12
2014 13
2015 24
2016 14
2017 6
2018 9
2019 12
2020 84
2021 67
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