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The 1948 flood had far-reaching consequences, effects that were still being felt years after the flood. In the fall of 1948, though, farmers were dealing with more immediate problems: repairing the devastation that the flood has caused.2
Work being done to rebuild and clean up the land after flooding.1948
Creston Valley, BC
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As Bob Rogers said, "After 1948, it was a stinking mess."4
Flood waters erode land.1948
Kootenay River, near Creston, BC
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The flood waters carried away huge chunks of the river banks, and the dykes along with it.6
Road to Creston from West Creston near the West Creston ferry.June, 1948
West Creston, west of Creston, BC
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Water remained on the flats for months after high water was reached."It was flooded from I believe it was the eighth of June, 1948, and it was like this before the roads were usable again until approximately mid-August, the third week in August."
- Fred Ryckman
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The dykes collapse as the flood waters recede.1948
Creston Valley, BC
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As much damage as the rising water had caused, the receding water caused more."After the water went down, look what it did. The dyke just went with it; it collapsed in it."
- Bill Constable
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Men working to clean up the flats and prevent any further flooding.1948
Creston Valley, BC
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Nearly everywhere, the dykes had to be repaired or replaced; this was an excellent opportunity to improve and strengthen them."We'd core the dykes," says Bill Piper. "We'd take it right down to the level of the farmland, then use the dragline to dig down below that until it started to slough in. Then we'd push the clay in with the cat, in about ten or fifteen feet deep, then build the dyke up around that core. That way, we could stop the seepage."
The work kept the cats and other machinery busy.
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Harry Christenson with one of his scrapers repairing flood damage to the dykes.1948
Creston Valley, BC
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"See, I'd been working for the Christenson brothers since I was about fourteen, running the cat, pulling the combine, ploughing the fields, whatever we were doing. And old Harry [Christenson] one day, he phoned me and said, 'You'd better get over here, we have a job for you.' Okay, so I went down way on the south end there to Boundary dyke, and here's these two big DHs scrapers, brand new. And he says, 'Here's your job.' And I said, 'Holy, doodle, Harry, I..you know...hey...uh...' And he says 'Oh, get on there, you can do it.' And he went home."- Jim Mather
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An aerial view of Duck Lake, looking south.1929
Duck Lake, north of Creston, BC
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