Flood gates at the Britannia Heritage Shipyard in Steveston have been closed, with tomorrow’s high tide on the Fraser River and the latest rainstorm heading our way.
Local landscaper Don Pitcairn, of the Green Team, noticed the panels were shut down at Britannia Wednesday afternoon.
Thursday’s highest tide of just over four metres on the river at Steveston is expected just before 11 a.m., according to https://www.tides.gc.ca/eng/station?sid=7607
Between 30 and 40 mm of rain is also expected Wednesday into Thursday from the first of a “parade of storms” over the next few days.
The next official “king tide” isn’t expected until Dec. 6, but the City of Richmond isn’t taking any chances.
City spokesperson Clay Adams told the Richmond News that the “flood panels” were installed and shut recently due to the heritage shipyard being on the waterside of the Richmond dyke.
“These are put in place when there is a potential for king tides, storms or predicted high river levels,” said Adams.
“They are removed when that potential passes. For properties in the area, Dyke Road offers protection from those same elements.
“Because of its location outside that dyke catchment, these panels are a necessary safety barrier for Britannia.”
Despite some localized flooding in Richmond during last week’s “atmospheric river” - which caused chaos and tragedy across B.C. – the city’s diking system stood up well to the onslaught of water pouring from the sky.
