Image: Supplied by the City of Chilliwack / Sections of the Vedder Rotary Trail will be closed between now and September 14 to remove gravel; a contract was awarded to Jake's Construction back on July 19 to undertake gravel removal following the atmospheric river events of November 2021.

By Mike Vanden Bosch

Vedder Trail closure

City of Chilliwack to close parts of Vedder Rotary Trail intermittently for two weeks

Sep 1, 2022 | 7:35 AM

CHILLIWACK — Flood mitigation gravel removal has begun on sections of the Vedder Rotary Trail, resulting in intermittent closures over the next two weeks until Wednesday, September 14.

The City of Chilliwack reported Monday (Aug. 29) that sections of the Vedder Rotary Trail network will be temporarily closed while flood mitigations occur, including the removal of gravel from the Vedder River. Heavy equipment and gravel trucks will be working in the area.

The closures include the Vedder Rotary Trail North between the train bridge and Hopedale parking lot; the Great Blue Heron Nature Reserve to the North Dyke Trail will be an out-and-back trail only; Vedder North Dyke Trail between the Keith Wilson bridge and the nature reserve; and Vedder South Dyke Trail between the Keith Wilson Bridge and No. 3 Road.

For flood protection purposes and to address an unexpected 440,000 cubic metres of debris that fell into the Vedder River and related waterways, Chilliwack City Council voted on Jul. 19 to award a contract of up to $500,000 to Jake’s Construction Ltd. for sediment removal.

Image: Supplied by City of Chilliwack / Sections of the Vedder Rotary Trail will be closed for the next two weeks until Sept. 14 to undertake gravel removal from the Vedder River and Canal.

PLANE CRASH

2 taken to hospital after small plane crash in Chilliwack

11h ago

GAS STATION FIRE

Firefighters respond after motorhome blaze spreads to gas station near Chilliwack

13h ago

VEHICLE INCIDENT

First responders attend to crash on Lougheed Highway Saturday morning

16h ago

Sediment removals occur every two years, and they’re done in such a way so as to reduce impacts to pink salmon under the supervision of environmental monitors. The city obtained approval from Fisheries and Oceans Canada and through the B.C. Water Sustainability Act.

The Vedder River Management Area Committee plans and designs all sediment removals from the Vedder River and Canal in order to maintain floodwater capacity. Without this critical management oversight, naturally deposited, naturally occurring sediment would lead to increased floodwater risks and diminish the effectiveness of the dike system.