Integrated BC Provincial Flood and Steep Creek Assessments

Following a damaging November 2014 rainstorm on Kilmer Creek, DNV retained BGC to complete a district-wide assessment of creeks that could block their storm-water management assets or damage buildings and infrastructure. In this study, quantitative flood, debris flood and debris flow risk assessments and determined conceptual risk reduction options were carried out for 35 steep creeks. To BGC’s knowledge, this study represents the most detailed, regional-scale debris flow and debris flood risk assessment ever completed for an urban area in Canada.

• The primary objectives of the assessment were to:

• Assess debris geohazards including their frequency, magnitude, extent and potential to result in blockage and overflow of DNV storm-water management infrastructure
• Numerically model debris geohazard scenarios and create maps showing the estimated extent and potential severity of impact on buildings and infrastructure
• Estimate the vulnerability and associated risk posed by these hazards to buildings and persons within buildings
• Prioritize locations for risk-reduction planning based on the results of the risk assessment
• To communicate the study results, BGC developed an interactive web application that manages datasets of development assets, hazard scenarios, risk assessment results, and mitigation options. This format is intended to support ongoing community and risk reduction planning.