The bridge in low-lying areas of Biggs Rd. will remain for a few more days at least to allow City crews to evaluate any damage caused by high flood waters from neighbouring Brannen Lake. (Alex Rawnsley/NanaimoNewsNOW)

By Alex Rawnsley

FLOODING AFTERMATH

UPDATE: Biggs Rd. bridge reopened after City crew assessment

Nov 18, 2021 | 5:28 AM

UPDATE: Nov. 18th, 2:15 p.m. The City of Nanaimo has completed and signed off on the Biggs Rd. bridge, and it is now open.

NANAIMO — The region may have escaped many of the more severe impacts of flooding felt elsewhere in B.C., however surveys continue for damage to infrastructure.

Out of an abundance of caution, city crews closed the Biggs Rd. bridge on Tuesday, Nov. 16 after water levels rose to a point where additional stress was placed on the bridge joints.

Poul Rosen, city director of engineering, told NanaimoNewsNOW they don’t believe there is any significant damage to the structure, but are awaiting an opportunity to check for sure.

“There was a little bit of deck movement that normally you wouldn’t like to see on a bridge. We’ve closed the bridge until we can inspect the underside of it, which will take probably a couple of days for the water table to come down.”

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Water levels rose to around a foot below the bridge deck during the peak of the event.

The rushing nature of outflow from neighbouring Brannen Lake potentially stressed bearings and supports laterally, while the overall level of the stream may have lifted the pre-cast box girder bridge up.

Cracking of the pavement was visible at both ends of the bridge on Wednesday, Nov. 17.

The flow of water from Brannen Lake was rapid during a site visit with Rosen on Wednesday, with multiple farm barrels floating from lakeside properties. (Alex Rawnsley/NanaimoNewsNOW)

The area is a known trouble spot and part of regular monitoring through the year, especially during major weather events.

City crews were out multiple times during Monday’s flooding, checking over the area for changes.

“We just make sure everything’s flowing the way it’s supposed to and there isn’t any damage that could impact the infrastructure.”

Bridges are other key drainage infrastructure are part of annual reviews, typically done in the summer.

“We hire a team of engineers to come through and look at every single one of the City’s assets and just make sure it’s up to scratch and there isn’t any extra work the City has to do.”

Rainfall recorded at various gauges at Nanaimo fire halls and the public works yard suggested the weekend’s atmospheric river event wasn’t an overly anomalous event.

Rosen estimated it was a one in every two year rainfall however it came after a prolonged period of weather activity which had already soaked the ground, causing more runoff.

Environment Canada’s monitoring station at the airport recorded just over 140 millimetres of rain from Saturday, Nov. 12 through Monday, Nov. 15.

City workers installed concrete barriers at both sides of the Biggs Rd. bridge on Wednesday, Nov. 17. They will remain in place until crews can inspect the underside of the bridge after flooding earlier in the week. (Alex Rawnsley/NanaimoNewsNOW)

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alex@nanaimonewsnow.com

On Twitter: @alexrawnsley