The Government of B.C. is providing the City of Merritt with $60 million to relocate and rebuild two critical dikes, on both banks of the Coldwater River, that were damaged during the flooding of November 2021.
“Today marks a significant step forward in the City of Merritt’s recovery from the 2021 atmospheric river event, which was devastating for the community,” said Kelly Greene, minister of Emergency Management and Climate Readiness. “Moving and rebuilding these dikes will allow the river to flow more naturally, bringing ecosystem benefits while better protecting Merritt from future flooding. We’ll continue to support communities throughout B.C. as they recover from the 2021 event to keep people safe and better prepared.”
Intense rainfall caused the Coldwater River to overflow its banks, leading to failure of the dikes and catastrophic flooding in Merritt. Because the flooding changed the course of the river, the dikes could not be rebuilt at the existing locations and must be rebuilt at alternative sites.
“This $60-million investment is a game-changer for Merritt,” said Micheal Goetz, mayor of Merritt. “The construction of dikes 129 and 130 means our community can finally breathe a sigh of relief, knowing we are taking real steps to protect our homes, businesses, and vital infrastructure. This funding brings us closer to a safer, more resilient future — one where we can face the future with greater confidence and security.”
This funding will allow the city to reconstruct the dikes to modern standards and acquire land to build the dikes in new locations. These projects are part of the city’s flood mitigation plan to restore and protect the community after the 2021 flooding.
Other key projects in the plan, being undertaken with support of the local First Nations, include ecosystem restoration, riverbank restoration and armouring to prevent erosion. Relocating and rebuilding the two dikes will also help reduce flood risks to downstream communities and benefit the local ecosystem by preserving the natural flow of the river.
