Water ways

Remapping Wellington’s flood risk

Paris has the Seine. London the Thames. Cairo the Nile. Wellington has Lane Creek. Though less majestic and perhaps shaped by less recorded history, Lane Creek has had its share of controversy and drama. In March 1936, snow runoff met with piles of ice dammed in the village near the mouth of the creek. Lane Creek overflowed its banks and rapidly inundated Wellington’s core. Floodwaters rose to the height of the counters at John Wallace’s dry good store, currently East and Main Bistro.

There were other floods and other challenges but nothing like the spring of 1936. In fact, so benign and peaceful is the waterway’s history, that at least four buildings were constructed straddling Lane Creek over the past 120 years. All remain standing though the fate of two structures (the former convenience store and pizza shop) is currently a subject of discussion at Shire Hall.

It was during discussions about diverting Lane Creek that cracks appeared between the County and Quinte Conservation. The County intended to maintain the current flow capacity, while Quinte Conservation urged a larger overflow capability due to the risk of one-in-a-hundred-years floods.

It was revealed, too, that such flood mapping hadn’t been updated in decades. Quinte Conservation officials cautioned that unless this was done, uncertainty about the risk of another major flooding event and the damage that could ensue might inhibit development potential in the core area of the village.

Now, Quinte Conservation chief Terry Murphy has made an application to the National Disaster Mitigation Program for funding. The cost of mapping the Lane Creek flood plain is estimated to be about $75,000—of which half must come from the municipality.

Council was set to consider the proposal at its meeting on Tuesday. It will have to decide quickly. The program deadline is Friday.

The Danube has issues too.