“April has not been kind”, a rather ominous opening from Allan Chapman of the River forecast centre. With the Skeena River showing some flooding in a few areas, the flood season is now underway as officials monitor the situation over the next eight to nine weeks, hoping for a slow and gradual manageable melt of the snow pack.
The Provincial Emergency Preparedness program has opened a centre in Terrace to monitor the water levels of the region with plans in plan to take action as events dictate.
The Daily News provided some background on the flood watch in the Monday paper.
REGION IS HOPING TO SOAK UP THE RISK OF FLOODING
By Leanne Ritchie
The Daily News
Monday, May 7, 2007.
Pages one and three
Towns across the Northwest are bracing for floods that could come with this year’s spring snow melt and a provincial emergency preparedness centre has opened in Terrace.
“April has not been kind. It’s been cool and wet and we are still getting new snow building,” said Allan Chapman of the River Forecast Centre.
“The Skeena River is already seeing some flooding.”
The flood season continues for the next eight or nine weeks – if the weather is warm and the melt is quick, it means a high chance of flooding. If the weather is cool, then the melt will be slower and there will be less chance of floods.
Houston already experienced some flooding late last week after a rainstorm caused the level of water in Henry Creek to rise in the eastern end of the community.
With the help from 10 crew members from the Ministry of Forests, sandbagging in the community has been done both in response to the rainstorm and as a prevention measure for possible future flooding in tributaries like Henry Creek and along the Bulkley River.
“Houston is a very resilient community and we’ve worked diligently to plan and prepare for flooding so that we can mitigate risks and if necessary respond quickly and decisively,” said Ken Thomson, Houston Emergency Coordinator on Friday.
“Flood waters in the Henry Creek area are beginning to recede, but we continue to urge residents to be vigilant and attentive to rivers that are experiencing higher than normal water levels, and to ensure personal preparedness for individual and family safety.”
Meanwhile, crews in Terrace are working to put additional rock around the Thornhill Dike and other areas.
The province and federal government have given more than a million dollars to the Terrace-Kitimat region to prevent flooding and it has made available close to another half to Telkwa and Houston.
“We have acted earlier than ever before to deal with the flood threat and we have put more resources toward the flood threat than ever before,” said John Les, solicitor general.
The province and federal government have each contributed some $16 million in order to prepare for what could be the worst flood season since 1948 and have distributed that to communities and diking authorities.
This was one of the snowiest winters the province has ever had with snow packs reaching record heights in the North and Interior. This in turn, means record run off in the Skeena and Bulkley Valley Rivers.
“We can’t fully predict what Mother Nature will do… but we will do all we can to be ready,” said Les.
The province has opened five regional emergency preparedness centres around the province, including one in Terrace.
The Provincial Emergency Preparedness program has opened a centre in Terrace to monitor the water levels of the region with plans in plan to take action as events dictate.
The Daily News provided some background on the flood watch in the Monday paper.
REGION IS HOPING TO SOAK UP THE RISK OF FLOODING
By Leanne Ritchie
The Daily News
Monday, May 7, 2007.
Pages one and three
Towns across the Northwest are bracing for floods that could come with this year’s spring snow melt and a provincial emergency preparedness centre has opened in Terrace.
“April has not been kind. It’s been cool and wet and we are still getting new snow building,” said Allan Chapman of the River Forecast Centre.
“The Skeena River is already seeing some flooding.”
The flood season continues for the next eight or nine weeks – if the weather is warm and the melt is quick, it means a high chance of flooding. If the weather is cool, then the melt will be slower and there will be less chance of floods.
Houston already experienced some flooding late last week after a rainstorm caused the level of water in Henry Creek to rise in the eastern end of the community.
With the help from 10 crew members from the Ministry of Forests, sandbagging in the community has been done both in response to the rainstorm and as a prevention measure for possible future flooding in tributaries like Henry Creek and along the Bulkley River.
“Houston is a very resilient community and we’ve worked diligently to plan and prepare for flooding so that we can mitigate risks and if necessary respond quickly and decisively,” said Ken Thomson, Houston Emergency Coordinator on Friday.
“Flood waters in the Henry Creek area are beginning to recede, but we continue to urge residents to be vigilant and attentive to rivers that are experiencing higher than normal water levels, and to ensure personal preparedness for individual and family safety.”
Meanwhile, crews in Terrace are working to put additional rock around the Thornhill Dike and other areas.
The province and federal government have given more than a million dollars to the Terrace-Kitimat region to prevent flooding and it has made available close to another half to Telkwa and Houston.
“We have acted earlier than ever before to deal with the flood threat and we have put more resources toward the flood threat than ever before,” said John Les, solicitor general.
The province and federal government have each contributed some $16 million in order to prepare for what could be the worst flood season since 1948 and have distributed that to communities and diking authorities.
This was one of the snowiest winters the province has ever had with snow packs reaching record heights in the North and Interior. This in turn, means record run off in the Skeena and Bulkley Valley Rivers.
“We can’t fully predict what Mother Nature will do… but we will do all we can to be ready,” said Les.
The province has opened five regional emergency preparedness centres around the province, including one in Terrace.
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