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Office of the Chair Tel. 604 432·6215 Fox 604 451 ·6614 JAN 0320 o 14 File: PA·03·01· MAT·00 DEC 1 2 2013 3. ~ ~ OR-,q ~O~ The Honourable Steve Thomson 8a015 The Honourable Suzanne Anton Minister of Forests, lands and Minister of Justice and Attorney General Natural Resource Operations PO Box 9044 Stn Prov Govt PO Box 9049 Stn Prov Govt Victoria, BC vaw 9E2 Victoria, BC vaw 9E2

Dear Minister Thomson and Minister Anton:

Re: Fraser River Flood Protection and New Erosion Arc - Abbotsford/Matsqul Dyke

We are writing to inform you of the GVRD Board's November 29, 2013 resolution to support the City of Abbotsford' s requests put forward by Mayor Banman in his October 15, 2013 letter to you regarding erosion and flood protection along the Abbotsford/Matsqul dyke (Attachment 1). Specifically, at the November 29, 2013 GVRO Board of Directors meeting the following recommendation was approved:

That the GVRO Board send a letter to the Province supporting City of Abbotsford requests presented in Its correspondence dated October 15, 2013 from Moyor to the Honourable Steve Thomson and Honourable Suzanne Anton that the Province consider and review the gravel deposits in the vicinity of Abbotsford and provide funding to the City of Abbotsford, as the local dyking authority, for mitigotion works an the new erosion arc in Matsqui Troil Regional Park.

Metro Vancouver operates Matsqui Trail Regional Park along the Abbotsford waterfront for llkm from Glenmore Road to Page Road and programs the Matsqul dyke as a regional trail and corridor for the Trans Canada Trail and Experience the Fraser, Canyon to Coast Trail (Attachment 2). In addition to significant community concerns, river erosion is removing valuable parkland. The recent erosion arc near the dyke also raises concern for the long·term integrity'of the trail corridor. rhe Honourable Steve Thomson and The Honourable Suzanne Anton Fraser Rlvllr Flood Protection and New Erosion Arc - Abbouford/Matsqul Dyke Page2of2

With the City of Abbotsford we engaged Northwest Hydraulic Consul~ants (NHC) who recommended that erosion protection measures be implemented for the new erosion arc (on Metro Vancouver parkland) before 2014 freshet to protect the integrity of the dyke. The City of Abbotsford is proceeding to design and plan required mitigation in order to complete the project within the allowable fisheries construction window, which is the end of February. NHC also highlighted the need for a broader review of the changing channel morphology of this stretch of the Fraser River and ongoing erosion along the south bank in order to investigate longer·term responses. As flood protection Is the responsibility of the Province, and the Fraser River the jurisdiction of senior governments, we support the City of Abbotsford's above requests for assistance from the Province.

Thank you for your early consideration of this important matter. Please contact Mitch Sokalski, Director, Regional Parks, at 604-432-6350, if you have any immediate questions.

Yours truly,

·...... re, BA Chair, Metro Vancouver Board

CM/ MSfWO/dk

Attachment 1 letter dated October 15, 2013 to The Honourable Steve Thomson and The Honourable Suzanne Anton from Mayor Bruce Banman, City of Abbotsford

Attachment 2 Matsqui Trail Regional Park Context Map

cc: The Honourable Ed Fast, Minister of International Trade & Minister for the Asia-Pacific Gateway, MP Simon Gibson, MLA, Abbotsford-Mission Darryl Plecas, MLA, Marc Dalton, MLA, Maple Ridge-Mission Mayor Bruce Banman, City of Abbotsford Metro Vancouver Mayors and Council Chief Alice McKay, Matsqui First Nation Chief Dalton Silver, Sumas First Nation Rob Isaac, Director of Wastewater, Drainage and Asset Management, City of Abbotsford

8248285 Mayar de c '~h R. Bruce Bonmen ABBOTSFORD Councillors lei Barkman Henry Broun Simon Gibson October 15, 2013 Moe Gill Dave F. l<>ewen Bill MacGregor Palricia Ron File: 5225·01 John G. Smith

Honorable Steve Thomson Minister of Forests, Lands and Natural Resource Operations PO Box 9049 Stn Prov Govt Victoria Be V8W 9E2

Honorable Suzanne Anton Minister of Justice and Attorney General PO BOX 9044 Stn Prov Govt Victoria BC V8W 9E2

Dear Minister Thomson and Minister Anton:

Re: Fraser River Flood Protection and New Erosion Arc

A year ago, we wrote to the Province regarding the Fraser River and the ongoing nood protection Issues that our City is facing. Thank you for your letter (Attachment 1) dated November 14, 2012, affirming that th e Province will continue to work with the Federal Government to develop a long-term plan for sediment removal In the Fraser River. We understand that this important Initiative will be led by Emergency Management BC (EMBC) and that the sediment removal activities will resume In the near future.

We are writing to bring your attenJlon to another major issue that has come to the forefront since the 2013' freshet, due to the formation of the gravel bars and resultant change in the river direction.

A new erosion arc type failure recently form'ed in the Lower Fraser River, upstream of Beharrell Road. It is only 30 meters away from the toe of the dyke and Is a lot closer to the dyke than the three existing arcs downstream. Attachment 2 shows the location and pictures of the new arc. As the local dyking authority, we are very concerned about the continued erosion of the riverbed and its proximity to the dyking system, which protects Matsqul Prairie (-12,000 acres) and the rest of the City. The erosion has also removed a considerable amount of land owned by the Metro Vancouver Regional Parks (MVRP). ,

In July, the City and MVRP engaged the services of Northwest Hydraulics Consultants (NHC) to assess and review the new erosion arc. The assessment indicates that notable aggradation occurred in the middle of the channel, starting from the Sumas Bar extending downstream to the bend near Hatzic Prairie. Notable scour occurred along the south bank of the river, along the base of our dyke and the Matsqul Trail (Attachment 3). The assessment also indicates that bank erosion in this reach is largely due to both the aggradation in the middle of the channel and the scour along the south bank and the base of the dyke.

The new erosion arc Is expected to continue to enlarge by upstream and downstream extension and promote additional bank retreat towards the dyke. In the short-term, we will engage a consultant to

Mayor'S Office 323 15 Svu' I. r,o .., Woy. Ab bol~Ofd . BC . v21 IWl l T 6()4 864 5500 I F. 604 853 1'1:14

www . abbotsford . ca Minister Thomson and Minister Anton 2 October 15, 2013

review mitigation options and installation of bank protection works before the 2014 freshet, as recommended by NHC. Staff advised EMBC of the new erosion arc and requested funding for the mitigation work; however, EMBC advised that this situation does not qualify for emergency funding due to the lack of presence of an emergency, for example high water or flooding.

We recently sought an update on the Fraser River Sediment Management Program. We understand the Program includes sediment removal with a target of 230,000 cubic meters per annum, from approximately Mission to Laidlaw. Your letter, dated November 14, 2012, afflnmed that the sand/gravel bars in the vicinity of Abbotsford fall within this gravel reach. However, the recent update we received indicated that none of these gravel bars were included In the initial assessment. Further, there Is no planned sediment removal scheduled to take place in 2014.

We continue to see the negative Impact of the fonmation of gravel bars In the viCinity of Abbotsford, including the resultant change in river direction and the ongoing erosion on the riverbank. The newly fonmed erosion arc in this last freshet is a major concem to Abbotsford. As the Fraser River Is in the jurisdiction of the Province, we request the Province the following:

• To consider and review the gravel bars in the vicinity of Abbotsford as part of the Fraser River Sediment Management Program; and

• To provide funding for mitigation works on the new erosion arc. It is not an emergency at this point, when the river level is loW; however, If we do not have adequate funding to proceed with the work before the next freshet, Its state will potentially be worsened and could result In large-scale damage to the dyke and our community.

Thank you for your consideration of the above matters. If you would like to discuss these matters further with me, please ccntact my assistant, Nancy Friesen at [email protected].

Yours truly,

Bruce Banman Mayor

Attachments c. Honourable Stephen Harper, Prime Minister Honourable Ed Fast, Minister of International Trade & Minister for the Asia-Pacific Gateway, MP Honorable Michael de Jong, Minister of Finance, MLA Mr. Randy Kamp, MP, Pitt Meadows-Maple Ridge-Mission Mr. Mark Strahl, MP, Chilliwack-Fraser Canyon Simon Gibson,.MLA, Abbotsford-Mission Darryl Plecas, MLA, Abbotsford South Marc Dalton, MLA, Maple Ridge-Mission John Martin, MLA. Chilliwack Laurie Throness, MLA, Chilliwack-Hope Minister Thomson and Minister Anton 3 October 15, 2013

Greg Moore, Chair, Metro Vancouver Board Raymond Louie, Vice Chair, Metro Vancouver Board Chief Allee McKay, Matsqul First Nation Chief Dalton Sliver, Sumas First Nation Chief Lincoln Douglas, Cheam First Nation Councillor Sidney Douglas, Cheam First Nation Council Members George Murray, City Manager Jim Gordon, General Manager, Engineering and Regional Utilities Denise Alexis, Executive Leadership Facilitator, Cheam First Nation Brian Jones, Economic Development Manager, Seabird Island First Nation f"\T1 =1 \Im-en-r I .....r;."\. "'", "'.. '>"\

Ref: 191176

November 14, 2012

His Worship Mayor Bruce Banman and Councillors City of Abbotsford 32315 South Fraser Way Abbotsford, British Columbia V2T lW7

Dear Mayor Banman and Council:

Thank you for your letter of August 27,2012, regarding the Fraser River and flood protection issues that the City of Abbotsford attributes to the formation of sand/gravel bars in the Fraser River.

I agree that an ongoing sediment removal program in the lower Fraser River is an important component of a long-term maintenance strategy to prevent the Fraser River Design Flood profile from rising. The design profile is the water level elevation that would occur if the 1894 spring flood event were to occur today. The removal of sediment on an ongoing basis in strategic locations is expected to protect communities from increasing flood risks and avoid the need to further raise dike crest elevations in the future, The Ministry of Forests, Lands and Natural Resource Operations maintains and updates a hydraulic model of the lower Fraser River, whlch provides the Fraser River Design Flood profile.

As you have noted, an agreement for gravel removal was in place between the province and the federal Department of Fisheries and Oceans between 2004 and 2010. The agreement has since expired and the development of a long-term Fraser River Sediment Management Program, led by Emergency Management BC (EMBC), is now underway. Sediment removal would target an amount equivalent to the average net influx of sediment into the gravel reach estimated to be 230,000 cubic metres per annum. The Fraser River gravel reach is that reach of river from approximately Mission to Laidlaw. The sand/gravel bars that have been formed in the vicinity of Abbotsford fall within this gravel reach and can be considered by EMBC as a possible sediment removal location in the future, if flood mitigation studies and environmental considerations support this location.

A significant number of scientific studies have been, and will continue to be, undertaken to guide site selection for sediment renlOval in the future. These studies are used by technical committee members, who are representatives from provincial and federal government

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Mi.nillry of Fore.tII, Land. and ()fficc of thl! .\I1IU5tt:r /\.1:uIing Addrc~t 250-" IH·6240 Natunl Rnource Operations PO nox 90-19 Stn Pnw Go't 25n ..387-104{) Vict(!rra. ne \'8W 9E2 ""'\",,·.~ , \.. bc.cg/f(Jr agencies, to select sites for sediment on the basis of overall flood protection benefit, environmental impacts and accessibility.

We continue to work with the federal government on developing a long-tenn plan for sediment removal, through our lead agency EMBC, which funds this important program. We are anticipating that sediment removal activities may resume as soon as winter 2013.

Thank you for taking the time to write.

Sincerely,

Steve Thomson Minister

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Figure 01 - Erosion Arc Location at Matsqui Trail Park