Abbotsford

B.C. funds Fraser River shoreline flood protection in Fraser Valley

B.C. funds Fraser River shoreline flood protection in Fraser Valley

A First Nation in British Columbia will receive a boost from the province for shoreline stabilization, with the chief saying it is under consistent threat of flooding. The $5 million aimed at so-called riprap erosion control measures is going to the Sqwa First Nation, Shxwha:y Village and the City of Chilliwack. The announcement comes a week after the province provided $23.4 million in funding to 49 communities to help reduce risks from future disasters related to natural hazards and climate change, including $150,000 for a drainage pump station upgrade design in Chilliwack. 

Nooksack River, source of B.C. and Washington flooding fears, to get new plan

Nooksack River, source of B.C. and Washington flooding fears, to get new plan

Leaders from B.C. and Washington state say they have reached an agreement to work together on redeveloping a flooding prevention plan and response for the Nooksack River. Flooding in southern B.C. and northern Washington in November displaced an estimated 500 people south of the border and about 14,000 were forced to flee their homes on the Canadian side. Rising water levels in the Nooksack contributed to flooding on the Sumas Prairie in Abbotsford and resulted in billions of dollars of damage to the province’s agriculture industry. Washington Gov. Jay Inslee says in a release that flooding will continue to worsen in the face of population growth, development and climate change, and a long-term approach on both sides of the border is needed.

Freezing weather compounds challenges for B.C. farmers dealing with flood aftermath

Freezing weather compounds challenges for B.C. farmers dealing with flood aftermath

Dave Martens is working on rebuilding his poultry farm and his home, which he hasn't been able to live in since the Sumas Prairie region east of Abbotsford, B.C., was hit by floods triggered by historic rainfall in November. "Currently I'm at the point of trying to dry things out still," said Martens of the two farm houses he owns, one of which he lives in. "You hear people talk about people being back in their homes and things like that. That might be true for some, but not the majority."

Abbotsford farmers' gift card initiative helps flood-affected families stay warm

Abbotsford farmers' gift card initiative helps flood-affected families stay warm

After spending about $700 to purchase new clothes for her family during November's floods, Abbotsford, B.C., dairy farmer Jimi Meier decided to help others similarly affected. "I just started thinking, that's just one family. There's so many more that are going to be affected. How can I help, being in a better situation?" said the Sumas Prairie resident. As the devastating flood waters rose and then receded, Meier's husband and sons stayed on the farm to care for the animals while she sought safety. While their home was not flooded, they had no access to running water.

Liberal MLA for Abbotsford calls on province to help farmers restore properties, businesses

Liberal MLA for Abbotsford calls on province to help farmers restore properties, businesses

The Liberal MLA for Abbotsford South says the provincial government should be responsible for helping farmers in flood-stricken communities get back on their feet. Bruce Banman says the province failed to notify its residents, especially in floodplain areas like the Sumas Prairie, when an atmospheric river brought more than 200 millimetres of rain earlier this month. "This government was not paying attention to the Nooksack River at all and we lost 48 precious hours to be able to move equipment," Banman said on the CBC's The Early Edition.

The Sprout: Recovering from floods will take years: B.C. farmers

The Sprout: Recovering from floods will take years: B.C. farmers

We start in British Columbia, where more heavy rainfall is expected this week and flooding shows no signs of abating. Floodwaters in the hard-hit community of Abbotsford are rising again as the Nooksack River south of the border overflows. Farmers in the region continue to assess the damage to their operations. As the Canadian Press reports, blueberry farmer David Gill says the devastating floods have set famers back by “at least a decade” and it will take them years to recover. Thousands of livestock were killed in the floods and fields across the Fraser Valley are still flooded with contaminated water. As CBC News reports, experts say it will be weeks before farmers know how the contaminated waters have affected the region’s fertile farmland.

Farmer devastated over loss of crop says dream of making Abbotsford the 'saffron capital' of B.C. persists

Farmer devastated over loss of crop says dream of making Abbotsford the 'saffron capital' of B.C. persists

For Avtar Dhillon, living in the Sumas Prairie in Abbotsford meant cultivating his dream to farm the world's most expensive spice in British Columbia. Now his crop of about 250,000 saffron bulbs lies still under several feet of muddied water. The farmer, who recently said he was B.C.'s first to farm saffron on a large commercial scale, says his farm has suffered catastrophic damage due to flooding in the Fraser Valley. "I'm very upset about [the] saffron ... I take six years to get to this point ... and then Monday just lost everything." For Dhillon, who is also a blueberry farmer, it took several years of experimenting with different methods of growing saffron before finding one that worked.

Before-and-after satellite images show flood devastation in B.C.'s Sumas Prairie

Before-and-after satellite images show flood devastation in B.C.'s Sumas Prairie

Dramatic satellite images show the extent of flood damage in B.C.'s Sumas Prairie following last weekend's historic rainfall. The low-lying rural area, east of Abbotsford's town centre, is mostly farmland and was created by the draining of Sumas Lake in the 1920s. Last week the area suffered extensive flooding as water gushed in from the Nooksack River from neighbouring Washington state, forcing evacuations and killing livestock.

Helicopters drop drinking water at flooded B.C. farms

Helicopters drop drinking water at flooded B.C. farms

Karl Meier has spent days battling to save his property and dairy cattle from flooding in British Columbia's Fraser Valley, but he says the biggest issue right now is with local law enforcement. "It was bad enough we had to fight the water, but now we've got to fight someone against what we're trying to do," said Meier. Meier owns U & D Meier Dairy in the Sumas Prairie region of Abbotsford, about 100 kilometres east of Vancouver. The area is under an evacuation order because of flooding in the nearby Sumas River. Police-enforced roadblocks have been set up around the area to prevent people from coming or going. Meier said this is making it difficult for people to bring in supplies to the farmers who have chosen to stay to protect their business and their animals.