A barge has turned into a shop downstream from Beaver Creek Park this month for a contractor to repair an eroded riverbed that protects a gas pipeline.
The transmission line that has moved natural gas in and out of the Kootenays since the ‘70s is not damaged and FortisBC wants to keep it that way.
“As water flows along the Columbia River the riverbed has eroded and there are parts of the pipe where there is very little or no soil covered,” explained
Lisa Corcoran, communications advisor for FortisBC. “(Work crews) are putting in a rock apron so they can then build over top of that and protect it.”
Locals are asked to stay clear of the site boat launch and 200 metres downstream from the barge to give JJM Construction Ltd. enough room to safely complete the job by the end of the month or early April.
Crews have poured rock on the stretch of pipeline, 17 large interlocking concrete pads are being lowered by a crane to further hold this rock down and then more rubble will lastly be dropped to add further security.
“This kind of work happens because we are very proactive in protecting the safety of our systems,” said Corcoran. “We are constantly monitoring and investigating our pipeline to make sure the integrity of our system is safe.”