Read the full Aldergrove Star story “New pump to be considered for Fort Langley in wake of high water” by Matthew Claxton HERE.

Doug McFee, Salmon River Enhancement Society Chairperson, was able to speak with Township of Langley Council on January 10th about the pump house history, needs, and actions that can help reduce flooding of the Salmon River. Find his presentation HERE starting about 3:48 in the video.

This presentation was put together in response to a motion before council suggesting that changes need to be made to improve flooding in an important part of the Salmon River Watershed – the Fort Langley floodplain. 

The motion a)  suggested another screw pump at the pumphouse (in the spring when the Fraser is high the Salmon River flow has to be pumped up into the Fraser). b)  suggested the channel of the Salmon River is becoming clogged with sediment (a veiled reference to dredging the Salmon River) c)  suggested the the pumphouse at the mouth of the Salmon River is being run for the sake of the fish and DFO rather than for the wishes of the farmers in the floodplain.

The presentation points out the Fort Langley floodplain has always flooded and always will given that flows after heavy rains can be over 40 cubic metres per second while the channel can only convey and the pumps can only pump 6 cms. There have been many engineering studies showing that another screw pump and even dredging the channel does not make a significant difference to flooding.  This is because the floodplain is flat with the elevation over 5 km upstream at Rawlison Crescent being the same as the elevation at the pumphouse.

There have already been concessions to the farmers when a screw pump was added in 1995, pumping was allowed to draw the rive down 1 foot from its normal level and tidal flushing of the lower river was severely reduced.  The farmers are not respecting the compromises made in 1995 while trying to get more.  Not mentioned in the presentation is the significant amount of money the farmers have already been given by TOL as compensation for the inability to further reduce flooding. 

SRES is pleased that Kwantlen First Nation has indicated their support for this presentation.