High winds cause damage near Peachland

Jun 9, 2017 | 6:55 AM

PEACHLAND —  Yesterday afternoon’s winds produced waves on Okanagan Lake that were too much for some of the concrete barriers along Highway 97 at Antlers Beach in Peachland to handle.

They got undermined and a section fell into the lake allowing water and debris to get onto a section of the road.  

Crews were on it quick and started dumping truckloads of boulders into the lake to provide a makeshift breakwater.

There could be intermittent delays if water continues to be a problem on the roadway.

Some bladder dams along Beach Avenue in Kelowna also collapsed. 

Crews will be out inspecting and repairing today.

The concrete barriers had only just been installed along the highway to try and prevent waves from coming up over Highway 97, as Okanagan Lake remains at record levels.

One official in Penticton yesterday told Global News Okanagan it’s really a “crap shoot” to try and predict when the level of the lake will drop significantly.

In Penticton yesterday, officials declared a state of emergency for the Red Wing resort, located just north of the City. The facility houses many seniors, and sandbagging continues to try to prevent water from getting near the units.

An additional problem is that ground water is rising, and geotechnical experts are being called in to assess the stability of a slop across the highway from the Red Wing resort to ensure that homes built on top of the slope aren’t in any danger.