Fraser River high, but within its banks near Paddlewheel Park

Prince George, BC – Barring any curveballs from Mother Nature, it appears the spring run-off in the Upper Fraser watershed may be uneventful…

As is the norm for this time of year, both Paddlewheel Park and Cottonwood Island Park remain closed due to high water levels in the Fraser River. 

But the Ministry of Environment’s Flood Hazard Technician, Lyle Larsen, says the river’s peak came early this year – May 15th – due to the really warm spell we experienced at the start of May.

Larsen says the snowpack was sitting at 129-percent of normal at the start of last month, but the two weeks of hot temperatures resulted in significant melt and the mid-month high water surge.

"We’re at the tail end of the critical period – where, if we were to get a really hot spell or some significant rain, we might see water levels come back up to the original peak," he says. 

Without any drama from Mother Nature, Larsen says water levels will remain high for the next few weeks, but we shouldn’t see any flooding.