Understanding & Mapping Flood Risks
The City of Castlegar is undertaking a Floodplain Mapping and Climate Change Hazard Risk Assessment to better understand how and where flooding might happen in Castlegar so we can take steps to reduce the risks to our community.
Municipal Services
About the Project
To better understand how flooding might impact our community, we’ll review how and where flooding has happened in the past and use technical models to predict how much water could flow through local creeks. This information will be used to create maps that show areas with a higher risk of flooding and assess how flooding might impact land, infrastructure, and buildings.
Based on the outcomes of the flood mapping and flood risk assessment, a Flood Management Plan will be created with actions the City can take to manage and reduce the risk of flooding in the future.
This project is 100% funded by the Disaster Resilience and Innovation Funding program administered by the Ministry of Emergency Management and Climate Readiness.
Study Area
This project focuses on six upland creek catchment areas in Castlegar: Arrow Lakes Drive, Bloomer Creek, Merry Creek, Killough Creek, Unnamed Creek, and Schofield Creek. These areas collect and drain water through Castlegar into the Columbia River.
Why Are We Doing This Project?
As our climate changes, Castlegar will likely experience more extreme weather, which can lead to a greater chance of flooding. Flooding can damage homes, businesses, roads, bridges, railways, and drinking water infrastructure, which is why understanding these risks is important when we plan for our community’s future.
Timeline
- October 2025 to January 2026: Research and technical work
- March 2026: Community engagement to understand flooding experiences
- April to July 2026: Drafting the Flood Management Plan
- September 2026: Community engagement to share the draft Flood Management Plan
- October to December 2026: Finalizing the Flood Management Plan
Information Sessions & Surveys
Our first round of engagement is complete. Panels presented to the public during our Open House are in the “Related Downloads” section on this page.
A second round of engagement will be completed in the fall of 2026. Connect with us at castlegar.ca/subscribe to be informed about upcoming events.