CLIENT: Kelowna International Airport (YLW)
PROJECT DESCRIPTION:
The Kelowna International Airport Culvert Upgrade replaced two aging culverts on Mill Creek with a modern, open-bottom box culvert designed to better support natural creek function at the airport site.
CHALLENGE:
The existing culverts were aging and restricted natural creek flow, limiting fish passage and creating flood risk during peak water conditions. Any upgrade needed to address both ecological function and flood resilience without disrupting critical airport operations.
APPROACH:
The team designed and installed an open-bottom box culvert to replace the two existing structures, creating a crossing that better mimics the creek’s natural bed and supports aquatic habitat connectivity, while also improving hydraulic capacity to handle peak flows.
OUTCOME:
The new culvert reconnects approximately 2 km of upstream habitat, improving fish passage and creating healthier conditions for aquatic species. It also enhances flood resilience by reducing bottlenecks during peak flow events, helping protect airport infrastructure, support emergency access, and strengthen long-term operational reliability, demonstrating how targeted infrastructure investments can advance sustainability alongside safety and resilience goals.