As water recedes, there is a new challenge for crews in Merritt as they assess the damage caused by flooding this week.

Greg Lowis, the head of the City’s emergency operations centre, says the Coldwater River has forged a new course, near where it meets the Nicola River.

“At around Hicks Avenue, it has jumped one block west of its old location and its now running north up what used to be the end of Pine Street,” he told NL News. “So obviously, this substantially complicates matters when it comes to looking at infrastructure in that area.”

“We know that we need to look at all of the pipes we have in that area. We know that there is obviously a road underneath that river now. There is a huge amount of water which is not just where it used to be. We now need to build that into our recovery plans.”

Lowis says there is a new island that has been formed between the Coldwater River’s current route and where it used to be.

“There is a small amount of water which is backing up in [the river’s] original course, but there is a good section that looks like it is about 20 metres long that as far as we tell its completely dry,” he said.

He notes though it is too early to say if the City of Merritt will reroute the river back to its original course.

“I should emphasize, I am not an hydrological engineer but I do know that rerouting rivers typically involves vast amounts of energy and effort if you are going to doing it successfully,” he added. Whether or not we will be building that into our future, I couldn’t say at this time.”

Elsewhere in town, he says work is still ongoing to see if a second bridge that connects Collettville to the rest of Merritt can be opened. Assessments are also still underway at the city’s wastewater treatment plant.

The evacuation order that was issued on Monday is likely to remain in place until next week.

Lowis previously told NL News that the vast majority of Merrittonians will be able to return back home once the City gets its water systems back up and running.