Geo Tours of Kamloops, British Columbia

Important parts of Kamloops are built on plains of the Thompson Rivers. Prior to European settlement, these plains were flooded every several years by the rivers during peak spring flows as the mountain snows melted. In 1894, a great flood inundated these plains, damaging many homes. Following this and subsequent floods, ridges of earth and rock (dykes) were built to protect homes and barns from flood waters. In 1972, a major flood breached the dykes that protected the Oak Hills subdivision, causing extensive damage. A monument in Riverside Park , near downtown Kamloops , indicates the height of four major historic floods. As a result of the 1972 flood disaster on the North Thompson and other BC rivers, the Province embarked on a program to map the flood plains of many rivers throughout the province. This work led to the construction of a number of major dykes built to protect the lands from large floods. The Oak Hills subdivision in northern Kamloops lies behind one such major dyke.

How To Get To Oak Hills