A student-led geotechnical engineering project examining debris flow and rockfall risk following the 2023 McDougall Creek wildfire.
Project group 14 standing in front of their project board at the Capstone Showcase.
Capstone Project Name:
Camp OAC Rebuild
Team Members:
- Amélie Argouin, Civil Engineering
- Joshua Carefoot, Civil Engineering
- Kaylynn Cook, Civil Engineering
- Colton Kather, Civil Engineering
- Josalynn Shields, Civil Engineering
- Sydney Strocen, Civil Engineering
Students in the Capstone Design Project course partnered with Camp OAC, meeting frequently with Ian Dixon, Mark Dixon and Archdeacon Chris through the Diocese of Kootenay. The community partner provided information about the camp before the fire, damage caused by the fire, insurance records related to previous hazards, and current rebuild designs and progress.
For this Capstone team, the challenge came down to a critical question: how do you ensure one natural disaster doesn’t lead to another?
The team focused on how the 2023 McDougall Creek wildfire increased the risk of landslide events at Camp OAC. They identified and analyzed two primary hazards, debris flow and rockfall, and designed practical mitigation measures.
“Our main goal for this project is to ensure one natural disaster wouldn’t lead to another, as well as assist with a safe reopening of Camp OAC.”
A project rooted in geotechnical engineering
All six team members came into Capstone interested in pursuing a project grounded in geotechnical engineering. Camp OAC quickly became their top choice.
“We believed working on a project that is so deeply rooted in the community would be the best way to engage ourselves in a meaningful pursuit.”
Camp OAC has been part of the community for more than 75 years, providing a semi-remote place for children to spend time outdoors, socialize, make new friends and learn new skills.
For the team, helping ensure the rebuilt camp is safe and resilient means helping protect that experience for generations to come. Their work focused on reducing the risk posed by debris flow and rockfall to the people who will ultimately return to and use the camp.
Modelling debris flow
One of the project’s biggest technical challenges was using HEC-RAS to re-simulate debris flow from a major storm-flow event with the team’s proposed mitigation measures in place.
The students worked remotely with KG, a PhD student in Nepal, to get the model to demonstrate the risk reduction after their proposed mitigation measures were introduced. That meant coordinating across time zones while troubleshooting challenging software.
The team’s debris-flow solution involved looking farther up the watershed and considering simple ways the geography could be modified to better direct and store debris following a major storm event.
Camp OAC project site and surrounding area.
The rockfall hazard presented a different challenge. Existing berms on the site could manage minor surface runoff when the area was fully forested, but the team identified an exposed rockface adjacent to the sports and playfield area that also needed to be considered.
Finding the right mitigation approach
The number of possible ways to reduce risk created another challenge: determining which measures could reduce risk to Camp OAC to the greatest extent for the least cost and effort.
The students sought input from their client, two professors, their coach, employers and KG.
“Working with our wide network helped give us a much needed reality check and allowed us to finalize our layered mitigation approach.”
HEC-RAS modelling also proved more difficult than expected. The team had trouble obtaining the data needed to properly quantify the effects of its proposed mitigation measures, particularly when evaluating combined upstream and downstream mitigation.
Looking back, the students said they would have used a manual approach to validate the model’s results rather than relying as heavily on software.
A wet first site visit
One of the team’s most memorable moments came during its first site visit with Ian Dixon.
While walking the site to identify areas of concern, it started pouring rain. The students briefly considered taking shelter but realized the weather was only getting worse. They continued the visit, bushwhacking through the rain and eventually emerging soaking wet.
Camp OAC Capstone team members during field work at the project site.
Collaboration over eight months
The students met weekly from the beginning of the project and later divided into sub-groups so no one was left to carry a task alone. Two members worked on the debris-flow simulation, two on rockfall, and two supported the report, CAD drawings and poster.
The team used its weekly meetings to make sure tasks and deadlines remained manageable and to redistribute work when needed.
What surprised them about working on a real-world engineering project was the level of support and trust they received from their client, coach and professional networks.
“At every step we were cheered on, and despite our limited experience we were trusted.”
The students said that trust inspired them to do their best and think carefully about who could ultimately be affected by their advice.
Their advice to future Capstone students is straightforward: “Find a good committed team to work with and a project that inspires the most effort!”
A meaningful partnership
For Camp OAC Director Ian Dixon, the students’ work has become part of the camp’s ongoing rebuilding efforts.
“The Camp OAC Capstone Project has been incredibly meaningful for us as we continue working through the rebuild of Camp OAC following the McDougall Creek Wildfire. The students brought thoughtful ideas, professionalism, and genuine care to the project, and their work has provided valuable insight and momentum as we look toward the future of Camp OAC,” said Ian Dixon, Camp OAC Director.
What comes next
According to the team, Camp OAC is looking to implement the proposed solutions, and one team member is working with his employer to help make that happen.
With more time and resources, the students would broaden their analysis to other key properties along Westside Road, particularly locations with high functional value or those responsible for vulnerable populations.
They also see opportunities for the work to continue as another Capstone project and hope a future team will continue working with Camp OAC.
“There are many opportunities for this project, geotechnical or otherwise.”