We've devoted a number of pages in recent weeks to what turned out to be a relatively insignificant event. Yes, the Fraser River rose to its highest level in years, but the upshot was a relatively small amount of property damage and some inconvenience: no loss of life, no injuries, no houses swept away by raging torrents.

Part of this is simply luck. In 2007, we were all waiting for a promised big flood that would reach 1948 levels.

Water levels then were almost half a metre below what we got this year.

Why? Luck, in the form of cool weather to keep the snow from melting too quickly on mountains in the Interior.

The Fraser River roared and raged and shook the docks, but it did not come close to topping the dikes.

But in 2007, something else was happening. Agencies throughout Lower Mainland and Fraser Valley communities tried to get ready for the worst.

This year, the water could have been higher. No one would have died unless they had been foolish enough to go wading in the river. Public agencies and private individuals who deal with the river have now had five years - and a couple of similar near-misses with high snowpacks - to practice.

That's important, because we know that, like the big earthquake, the big flood will be back. They don't call them floodplains for nothing, and thousands of residents in Maple Ridge and Pitt Meadows, Mission and Abbotsford, and Chilliwack and Langley live on them.

The little non-emergencies in which a lot is done - just in case - are valuable.

They keep the emergency personnel up to date on what they could face. They make sure that each agency knows how to talk to every other agency.

They ensure that when the big flood comes next, we'll have a well-oiled machine to respond to it.

Preferably that response will be from behind well-reinforced and recently inspected dikes.

M.C.