Okanagan Lake property owners choosing to build higher, more flood-resistant docks

There have been some changes to dock construction on Okanagan Lake in the years since the big flood of 2017.

Since then the lake has reached excessively high water levels in three of the past four years, resulting in some changes to the way contractors on the lake build docks.

Trademark Industries manager Bruce Armour says his company builds docks up and down Okanagan Lake.

He says the flood of 2017 resulted in lots of work for dock builders, some of which is still ongoing.

“The height at which people want their dock has changed, and so has the type of materials being chosen to build a dock. People are moving toward through-flow damping decking that allows water to flow through it. If the dock does get submerged due to high water, they last,” Armour says.

His company also uses aluminum framing and steel pilings in the construction. Armour says the docks his company built before the 2017 high water all survived unscathed that year.

Okanagan Pile Driving’s Chris Burton says his company has also seen its customers wanting their docks built a little higher.

“Some of the docks that survived the 2017 flood are now pretty much under water again this year,” he says.

Rather than trying to raise them, dock owners are working to secure them against the rising water.

Burton says many customers choose to build a little higher or lower than their neighbour’s dock, depending on circumstances.

He says his company rebuilds between 15 and 20 docks annually.

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