The Lower Similkameen Indian Band (LSIB) has deployed a static weather station, one week after multiple rock slides on Keremeos (K) Mountain.
Along with WesTrek Geotechnical Services Ltd. (WesTrek), LSIB initiated the new project to have a real-time and predictive slope monitoring program in place for the south side of the Similkameen River and n蕯aysn煤la蕯x史 corridor. Funding from Indigenous Services Canada allowed LSIB and WesTrek to start the process of monitoring dangerous areas for potential landslide and avalanche issues.
The new program involves analysis of previous events and conditions, past meteorological data sets, real-time condition monitoring, current conditions with data sets, first-hand accounts and traditional ecological knowledge.
"Having a safety mechanism in place not only helps with protecting our sqilx史 (people) and tmix史 (all living things), but it also means we can help to protect our neighbours and their livelihoods, as well as those who are downstream from us," said LSIB Chief Keith Crow.
Dan Cato, a geographic information systems developer with WesTrek, is excited to work together with LSIB on the project.
"The implementation of a slope monitoring early warning system is a great step towards protecting people, communities and infrastructure from environmental threats," he said. "WesTrek looks forward to working alongside the LSIB elders and community members to continue finding solutions."
The first few weeks of operations will involve data collection, algorithm learning processes and system learning. LSIB has reached out to local neighbouring governments in hopes of collaborating with the data collected from the monitoring system.
LSIB added that they have been in contact with WesTrek in regards to the recent and ongoing activity on K Mountain to see if the project can help in any way. WesTrek is exploring options to see if the weather monitoring system can be used to assist with rockfall monitoring, specific to soil and vegetation slopes. While there is a significant difference between slope monitoring and rockfall monitoring, LSIB said that WesTrek will continue to investigate if the system can help.