Protecting the town of Princeton from flood would have cost at least $30 million, according to an engineer鈥檚 report completed just before the Nov. 14, 2021, disaster.

Mayor Spencer Coyne said the report hadn鈥檛 even been presented to council when the Tulameen River burst its banks in the worst flood here in 200 years.

鈥淲e didn鈥檛 even have time to digest the information,鈥� he said.

Now, he added ruefully, there needs to be a new report.

鈥淲e have to redo the study,鈥� he said. 鈥淭he river has changed, things upstream have changed. Everything we know about the river is out the window.鈥�

The initial reported indicated that all the dikes in Princeton needed to be raised one metre, employing a variety of strategies including large rocks, compacted soil and liners.

During a recent meeting with provincial government ministers, which Coyne attended, it was hinted that responsibility for dikes in the province may shift.

Previously the province downloaded the care and maintenance of dikes to municipalities.

鈥淚鈥檓 optimistic about it,鈥� said Coyne. 鈥淚f the province is going to take back diking authority then that鈥檚 really good.

鈥淚f they are going to fund it and let us do the diking authority that鈥檚 also a good thing. Those are the best outcomes for that.鈥�

Do you have something to add to this story, or something else we should report on? Email:andrea.demeer@similkameenspotlight.com