Project on Columbia River flats aims to prevent wetland from draining

A BC Hydro construction project starting in October at Cartier Bay near Six Mile is designed to prevent the large wetland in the area from draining into the Columbia River.

In a local media release, BC Hydro said they will begin work on a collapsed culvert on the flats beginning the week of October 17.

BC Hydro spokesperson Jennifer Walker-Larsen said the project, which is required under the Columbia River Water Use Plan, would benefit wildlife.

BC Hydro is replacing this collapsed culvert near Six Mile in October. Photo: BC Hydro

The project will install rip rap to reinforce the collapsed box culvert in the abandoned railbed. Currently, the culvert acts to hold water back in Cartier Bay. The existing box culvert is eroding and BC Hydro says if it failed, the wetland would drain.

The original plan involved filling the entire gap in the railbed to raise the water level of the bay and provide more habitat for wildlife. After consultation with the public and two independent reviews, BC Hydro said they decided that expanding the wetland would be too risky, and so will be left as it is.

There will be heavy equipment working in the flats around Six Mile for about a week.