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Pipeline construction in Hope will divert Coquihalla River this month

Trans Mountain says they will restore Coquilhalla River after replacing and adding pipeline section
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Work on the Trans Mountain pipeline is taking place along the shores of the Coquihalla River. (Eric Welsh/Hope Standard)

Some of the most obvious construction on the Trans Mountain pipeline in Hope is taking place along the shores of the Coquihalla River in Hope this summer.

A heavy crane with a retractable boom is set up along the river where it nears Old Hope Princeton Way, as the crews work to replace a portion of the old pipeline and install new pipeline.

The work will be taking place through August, according to the Trans Mountain website, and it does involve temporarily changing the path of the river.

“This work will use diversion pumps to reduce the water flow around the excavation area,” a notice from Trans Mountain states. “Heavy equipment will be used instream to prepare the trench within the Coquihalla riverbed with water monitoring taking place throughout the construction process.”

There are several ways to install pipelines, and there are videos and illustrations available on the pipeline website that go into the technical details. Residents and others who are interested can also sign up for regular newsletters on the project.

The latest update says this project at the Coquihalla River will use “conventional construction, and after the pipes are installed, they intend to return the river to its prior state, and then some.

“The stream will be returned to the natural flow path and the site will be reclaimed to its original condition with additional bed and bank flood protection,” it said.

They said the replacement of the existing pipeline at the same time will allow them to disturb the river as little as possible.

The work is somewhat visible from the road, and completely visible from the river along the Rotary Nature Trail. There may be traffic delays through the area, along with noise, lighting and dust.

While it’s a very visible worksite for locals and visitors alike, it’s not the only worksite in and around Hope this summer.

There is also work to cross under the Coquihalla River at Exit 192 on the Coquihalla Highway, and Carolin Mine Road Bridge.

They will use stream isolation at both sites.

“In this type of construction, the waterway is temporarily dammed and rerouted with pumps or piping,” the latest update said. “The pipe is then installed using conventional construction techniques before the dam is removed and the stream is returned to its normal flow path. The site will be reclaimed to its original condition with additional bed and bank flood protection.”

There are also a number of worksites around Hope, including in Silver Creek and on 5th Avenue. Hope is part of the Spread 5B portion of the project, which runs from the Coquihalla Summit to Bridal Falls. The work is being completed by Kiewit and Bonatti.

The project will run until September 2023.

READ MORE: First Fish ceremony honours abundance of salmon for Spuzzum First Nation


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(Eric Welsh/Hope Standard)
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The latest activity in Hope on the Trans Mountain Pipeline is along Old Hope Princeton Way at the Coquihalla River. (Jessica Peters/Hope Standard)


Jessica Peters

About the Author: Jessica Peters

I began my career in 1999, covering communities across the Fraser Valley ever since.
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