Prince George, B.C. – The  risk of flooding in Prince George remains in the moderate to low range says Lyle Larson, the Senior Flood Hazard Officer with the B.C. Ministry of the Environment.

 

Over the weekend the warming temperatures resulted in a softening of the ice jam on the Nechako River, but the head of that jam is now upstream from the Foothills Bridge.  Larson says there is no sign of any further frazil ice making its way down the Nechako so it is unlikely the ice jam would continue to grow.

 

“We have seen some slight flooding in that low level area on the north side of the river just  downstream from the Foothills Bridge” says Larson. That area is a popular recreation site in the summer.  

 

“At this point the only  residential  area really at any risk of seeing any flooding is the Del Haven region”  says Larson.

 

He says the level of the Nechako has fluctuated quite a bit over the weekend  as warmer temperatures have softened the ice jam. “It is possible the ice could soften up enough to create a surge of water through the whole system, but overall, the risk ( of flood) is moderate to low.”

 

The City of Prince George has been monitoring the river since Friday.  As a precaution,  the City has closed the Cottonwood Island Park and the Heritage Trail along the south side of the Nechako from the Cameron Street Bridge to Fort George Park.