EDITORIAL – Simple answers to Noble Creek quickly become complicated

An editorial by Mel Rothenburger.

THE BEST SOLUTION to a problem is sometimes the simplest.

There are, however, two problems with simple solutions. One is that we don’t always recognize them. The other is that they’re often not nearly as simple as we thought.

So it was that when some City of Kamloops staffers were driving back to their office after meeting with stakeholders at the Noble Creek Irrigation System intake, they came up with an option that hadn’t previously been thought of.

Why not, they said, continue with plans to decommission the at-risk parts of the system (mainly the intake, pump house and settling basin), submit a decommissioning plan that includes dividing the existing water licence to individual property owners, install a temporary new pump on the riverbank and have it run by a water users community?

It just might, they figured, allow the irrigation system to operate for several more years.

But when it came to City council for consideration Tuesday, holes were quickly punched in the balloon.

It became evident there was no water users community and no indication of when, if ever, one might be created.

Could, residents ask, the City pay for the temporary pump and its operation, or would users be expected to pay for it out of their decommissioning payouts?

Was Tuesday’s meeting jumping the gun?

Could a contractor be hired instead of hiring four full-time employees to monitor a temporary pump system that hasn’t been designed yet?

What are the prospects for provincial funding?

And on it went. To council’s credit, after a lot of “I’m confused” remarks and their usual bickering, they decided to carry on with decommissioning the parts of the system that are at risk from bank erosion, continue with plans for decommission payments and look at options for a temporary pumping system that might function through the 2024 season if all goes well.

Imperfect, but simple enough. In a complicated sort of way.

I’m Mel Rothenburger, the Armchair Mayor.

Mel Rothenburger is a regular contributor to CFJC Today, publishes the ArmchairMayor.ca opinion website, and is a recipient of the Jack Webster Foundation Lifetime Achievement Award. He has served as mayor of Kamloops, school board chair and TNRD director, and is a retired daily newspaper editor. He can be reached at mrothenburger@armchairmayor.ca.