The provincial government has granted $320,000 to the Dewdney Area Improvement District (DAID)for flood protection projects.
Work will include removing sediment from the mouth of Legace Creek, and deepening and widening an existing 3.4 kilometre channel on the east side of Hatzic Lake, said a government press release.
"This funding will help reduce the risk of flooding in the Hatzic Prairie region and is a great step toward restoring Hatzic Lake as a prime recreational area," says Abbotsford-Mission MLA Randy Hawes.
Flooding in the Hatzic Valley costs the local agriculture industry approximately $2 million per year.
The DAID is responsible for one-third of the total project costs, estimated at more than $474,000. The project is expected to be completed by February 2014 and will be funded by the B.C. Flood Protection Program.