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Delta throwback: Who will pay for flood protection? (PHOTOS)

With all the talk nowadays of climate change and sea level rise, as well as the need to upgrade Delta’s 67-kilometres of dikes and seawalls, let’s do a throwback to some of the big floods that hit Delta.
delta optimist throwback
Two men in a boat with their spaniel dog on the corner of Laidlaw and Chisholm streets in Ladner during the flood of 1895.

With all the talk nowadays of climate change and sea level rise, as well as the need to upgrade Delta’s 67-kilometres of dikes and seawalls, let’s do a throwback to some of the big floods that hit Delta.

It's going to cost huge dollars to prevent these from being ongoing events in the future.

 

delta throwback

A Delta Archives photo of the Deas Island Cannery after being damaged by the flood of 1894

 

The flood of May 1894 affected the southern half of B.C. but because development was sparse, it caused little damage.

Another flood eight months later, in January 1895, caused much more extensive damage in Delta, particularly Ladners Landing.

Property owner Thomas McNeely following that event led a crusade to have all of Delta diked. The expensive project was undertaken by the municipality in 1895 and 1896.

 

delta optimist throwback

Another Delta Archives photo of the Deas Island Cannery after being damaged a flood in May of 1894

 

The municipality would experience other floods, however, including a major one in 1948 when the dikes failed.

Ten people died, 2,000 homes were destroyed and 16,000 residents were evacuated in the region.

The City of Delta notes that it’s estimated that if that flood occurred today, it would cause $1.8 billion in damage throughout the Fraser Valley.

 

delta throwback

A Delta Archives photo of a flood impacting Ladner in 1895. The buildings in the background include the Methodist Church, Calvert House and Palace Stables

 

Delta's dikes are currently between 3.4 and 4.2 metres, but there are also areas with private dikes at lower elevations.

It is estimated Delta's dikes need to be raised by at least 1.2 metres or more to meet 2100 projected sea levels.

It's suggested a staged dike upgrading approach be implemented, since the projected sea level rise by 2050 is expected to be around .5 metres and a full metre by 2100.

 

delta optimist throwbacks

A wash out in the dike occurred between Ladner and Port Guichon in July 1899

 

A civic report notes preliminary costs estimates for the first phase works indicate that Delta dike upgrades to 2050 could cost more than $350 million, excluding extensive seismic upgrading. Seismic upgrading could cost an additional $300 million.

Meanwhile, dikes statutory rights-of-way that parallel the existing dike will need to be acquired with acquisition costs estimated to be around $10 million.

Delta and the Fraser Basin Council have been lobbying senior government for funding.

 


delta optimist throwback

A Vancouver Archives photo of an aerial view of the Fraser River flood in 1948

 

delta throwback