West Vancouver residents protest project to keep creeks from flooding

West Vancouver's slopes are lined with creeks, and every so often heavy rainfall will make them overflow, damaging property, habitat and even potentially putting lives at risk.

But the district's plan for a storm-water diversion system is drawing criticism from a group of residents who say they haven't been consulted on the project.

Calling itself Save West Van's Creeks, the group has organized rallies, and on Monday night it delivered a 663-signature petition directly to the mayor.

"People are mad, they're mad because they haven't been consulted, and a big pause has to go on here," said Roger Finnie, speaking for the group.

"There's environmental concerns, there's disruption in the neighbourhood, there will be foreshore blasting, there's a spillway, there's cost issues, there's a number of concerns by the residents."

The diversion system plan, which is already underway, covers five creeks — Pipe, Westmount, Cave, Turner, and Godman — and will cost up to $6.25 million of public money before a developer, British Pacific Properties, covers any remaining cost.

According to the district, the new pipes won't draw any water from the creeks during regular conditions — only when water would overflow the banks, during a once-every-year-or-two rain event.

The plan has the stamp of approval from a local non-profit, the West Vancouver Streamkeeper Society.

In a letter of support for the project addressed to West Vancouver council, society president John Barker wrote that the organization is concerned about potential loss of spawning habitat for cutthroat trout and four species of salmon.

"Higher creek levels and more powerful flows may cause scouring and washing away of spawning gravel," said Barker.

Barker said the diversion project would not affect existing stream conditions, but it would serve the needed purpose of managing excess storm water.