Terrace from the front lines of the flood

The Terrace Standard has provided a number of updates on their website about developments in the city over the last twenty four hours. They bring details from the mayor who says his city is coping well all things considered, look at the arrival of military liaisons in town to see if assistance from the Armed Forces is required, as well as updates on the river conditions, local supplies and other important issues for the community.

Evacuation alert issued for Terrace homes
The Terrace Standard
5:43:44PM, Jun 07 2007

The City of Terrace has issued an evacuation alert for scores of homes on the southside of the city in case the flooding Skeena River rises any higher.

Volunteers are going door to door tonight on Kerr Street, Craig Drive, Apple Street, Mills Avenue between Apple and Craig, the south end of Skeena Street, the west end of Medeek Streetwest and west of 4903 Graham avenue delivering notices urging residents to leave their homes in case of an evacuation order.

"It'a preemptive move in order for use to prepare residents," said chief city administrator Ron Poole at a late afternoon news conference. "There's no reason to panic."

It's no surprise to the residents, just a formal reminder, he added.

Though the Skeena river continues to rise, it is at a much slower pace than in the last couple of days.

And according to Poole, the weather predicted for this weekend is favourable.

If temperature get really hot and it rains more, that's another story but the situation now seems promising, he said.

In the meantime, to prevent flood damage to their property, residents in the evacuation alert zone should move items to higher ground and prepare overnight kits with clothing and medication in case of an evacuation order.

Police will also remain in the neighbourhood keeping a close watch on areas reported to be potentially dangerous.

But RCMP Insp. Dave Fenson said, just because police are present doesn't mean there is necessarily a problem.

Nevertheless, he recommends all non-local traffic stay away.

"It's important other people respect the fact that this is an alert area," Fenson said.
As for transportation in and out of the city, Hwy 16 remains closed on both sides of Terrace.
The alternate route east, the Cranberry Connector, is now open after a temporary shut down for two-hour intervals in each direction.

The forest road will be open for westbound traffic (starting at midnight, 4 a.m., 8 a.m., noon, 4 p.m. and 8 p.m.) and eastbound traffic ( starting at 2 a.m., 6 a.m., 10 a.m., 2 p.m., 6 p.m. and 10 p.m.) every four hours .

Drivers have reported rough conditions though.

Local produce stores such as Safeway, Save-on-Foods and Walmart are still receiving food deliveries by the Connector therefore Poole said the city will not run out of supplies.
The only reason some shelves are bare is because people are buying much more than their regular weekly supply, Fenson said.

"People should buy what they need then the normal flow will not be interrupted," he said.

Some gas stations are out of petrol but the city is monitoring the situation and will make sure essential services such as police and the fire department will not run out, Poole said



Skeena and Nass rivers on the rise
The Terrace Standard
4:25:58PM, Jun 07 2007

NORTHWEST RIVERS continue to run high and residents of Terrace and the Nass Valley can expect flood conditions through the weekend and into next week.

The Skeena River is currently experiencing a rise in flow and will continue to rise through Friday, according to River Forecast Centre head Allan Chapman at today's conference call.
The river may peak on Friday and flood conditions will continue until the end of next week, he said.

While the level of the Nass River had dropped on Tuesday, it began rising Wednesday night and is expected to continue through Friday, Chapman said.

The water will remain above flood stage until the middle of next week.

The Bulkley River continues to experience the largest flow ever, having broken the record on Tuesday and remains above that level, he said.

A large rainstorm brought 25 mm of rain that helped keep its water levels high.


Stations out of gas
The Terrace Standard
4:03:52PM, Jun 07 2007

Copperside gas stores have run out of gas in two locations and are currently unsure when they will get more.

The pumps at Copperside Shell station on Hwy. 16 were completely dry as of this morning.
Signs posted on the pumps warn customers that they have runs out of gas urging them to try gas stations on Kalum or Keith.

Thornhill Petro-Can is down to a little bit of diesel said Chris Moldenhauer, manager of retail operations for Copperside Stores. They have no other fuel left.

Northwest Fuels supplies the Thornhill Petro-Can pumps with gas.

According to Moldenhauer Northwest Fuels has been put on the list of essential services and can no longer sell gas to Copperside stores.

The fuel supplier for Copperside Shell is trying to get permission to send a truck through the Cranberry Connector, something authorities are reluctant to do.

Moldenhauer said the reason for shortages is people overreacting to highway closures and floods.

“People have gone a little bit funny,” said Moldenhauer.

Highway 16 has been closed both east and westbound, leaving the Cranberry Connector and the airport as the only way out of town.


Terrace doing just fine: mayor
The Terrace Standard
3:49:19PM, Jun 07 2007

MAYOR JACK Talstra says despite declaring a local state of evergency, the city is holding up well to the surging Skeena River.

"I don't want to belittle the person whose home is flooding but when you look at the whole scheme of things in Terrace, it's not too bad," said Talstra, who had to leave his car in Smithers Tuesday and fly in the following day.

Local officials knew the floods would come, it was just a matter of when and how, says Talstra.

"There's not much that could be done to change that," said the mayor. "Basically, we prepared as best we can."

Those preparations included at least three community consultations with residents of Skeena St. and Graham Ave.

Skeena St. residents have been particularly affected, with waters encroaching on Graham Ave. and Kerr St.

Talstra, who says he's visited the affected areas, praised the volunteers and city staff for helping sandbagging efforts there.

"The workers have been great -- the city and [Regional District of Kitimat-Stikine] staff.

There's a lot of camaraderie (where people are helping out)," added Talstra.

The city's infrastructure is withstanding the crisis, said Talstra, adding staff have rowing out to make hourly checks of the sewage treatment plant just east of Brauns Island.

"The hospital is ready -- it has all the supplies it needs," said Talstra, who also wants to alleviate fears of food or gas shortages, saying there has been little effect on both supplies, as the Cranberry Connector route through the Nass Valley has been used.

"Really, it's business as usual," said Talstra, adding people shouldn't go out of their way to stock up on supplies and cause shortages.

At least one retailer has offered to barge supplies in and the city is prepared to go that route if necessary.

Talstra said the local state of emergency was called to give the city emergency powers, including the ability to remove people from their homes if their safety were to be compromised.

The mayor is also the chair of the regional district, a government who currently has more to worry about than the municipal one.

Brauns Island and North Usk residents have been evacuated and regional district officials are closely monitoring other areas, including Dutch Valley and the Queensway Drive area of Old Remo.

Talstra, who says he's never seen the current volume of water in the Skeena in the 50 years he's lived here, doesn't think it has crested yet.

"There's still a lot of snow up in the mountains. It could get worse than better.

"We're in for the long haul," said Talstra, adding he predicts a month of fluctuations in river levels.

Terrace residents with flooding concerns can call 638-4744, while residents within the boundaries of the regional district should call 615-6100 (both 24 hours a day).


Traffic controlled on the Cranberry
The Terrace Standard
3:33:21PM, Jun 07 2007

THE TRANSPORTATION ministry has brought in single lane alternating traffic controls on the only road in and out of Terrace.

Having traffic flow one way for two hours and then the other way on the Cranberry Connector for two hours is to move people and goods in a safe and efficient manner, say ministry officials.

The decision to shift to a controlled access followed an incident earlier today in which a small truck went off the road and blocked traffic for hours.

The Cranberry Connector is a 50km long logging road which has become the only road connecting the northwest with the rest of the province since rising Skeena River waters cut off Hwy16 50km east of Terrace June 5.

It was first pressed into service May 28 when a massive mudslide shut down Hwy16 37km east of Terrace. The highway was then open to traffic for limited periods each day, meaning reliance on the Cranberry grew.

The Cranberry Connector connects the paved Nisga'a Highway in the Nass Valley with Hwy37 North.

In the meantime, The province is supporting local governments in communities north of Terrace and is providing access to tug and barge to help transport critical supplies to Prince Rupert.

That's because Hwy16 is also cut between Terrace and Prince Rupert and there is no alternate land route connecting the coastal city with the rest of the province.


Armed forces ready to assist
Terrace Standard
2:31:41PM, Jun 07 2007

THE ARMED FORCES has sent liaison officers to emergency centres throughout the province, including the one here in Terrace, in case the military is asked to send in help because of flood waters.

They're keeping an eye on the situation so that if the military is called in, it can respond appropriately, says Lt. Commander Mark McIntyre, a military public affairs officer based at Esquimalt on Vancouver Island.

"It's very much a case of be prepared," said McIntyre. "We would want to send the right people for the right job at the right time."

Up to 1,400 army, naval and air force personnel from Edmonton, Esquimalt and Comox would fan out across the province as requested by the provincial government.

"It would be a scalable response to what the need is," said McIntyre.

"Our officers would be able to give us the information needed."

As it is, the armed forces already has personnel in the Fraser Valley area on alert in case they are needed there.