Dewdney Area Improvement District (DAID)

DAID is a local government authority operating under Letters Patent.

The purpose of DAID is to maintain the section of dike from Dewdney Trunk Road and Lougheed Highway in Mission, BC to Bell Road in Dewdney, BC.  This dike keeps the Fraser River from flooding the properties on the flood plain north of the river.

The pumping facilities are located at the end of Hatzic slough and are comprised of two stork pumps with a capacity of 6390gpm. each and flood boxes. The pumps operate automatically and only when there is high water inside the dike. When the level of the Fraser River is lower then the level of water inside the dike, floodgates automatically open allowing water to discharge into the river. The floodgates only close if the Fraser River becomes higher then the water level inside the dike.

The dike is mowed three times a year and any encroaching trees and blackberry vines etc. are removed.  The dike is patrolled daily by the maintenance person and it is his responsibility to monitor and report any damage to the dike and or wear  that

needs repairing or replacing.

A dike is a stone or earthen wall constructed as a defense or as a boundary. The best known form of dike is a construction built along the edge of a body of water to prevent it from flooding onto an adjacent lowland. 

Dikes can be permanent earthworks or emergency constructions (often of sandbags) built hastily in a flood emergency.