Riverside benches at Paddlewheel Park in Prince George are under water. – photo  250News

Prince George, B.C.-  The River Forecast Centre’s latest  water supply report indicates that as of May 15th there is still a higher than normal  snow pack in the Upper Fraser region,  where   it is 140% of normal for this time of year.  The Nechako basin snow pack on the  other hand is well below the norm for this time of year, sitting at about  66% of its normal  levels.

According to the River Forecast Centre, the Fraser and the Thompson rivers are  flowing  “at well above normal levels for this time of year,  and in many cases are approaching mean  annual flow level.”

The Centre reports that  on the Fraser River, about 26% of the freshet run off has  passed through Shelley.  The Fraser River levels at South Fort George  climbed over the weekend.   It was sitting at 8.94 meters on Sunday evening,  about half a meter away from flood level.  Riverbank benches at Paddlewheel Park in Prince George  were already  underwater  by 6p.m. on Sunday.

The River Forecast Centre  predicts the  risk of  flooding will  last another 2-3 weeks  along the Fraser and Skeena rivers.

The risk could increase if  there is a hot spell  closer to the end of the month causing a rapid melt,   or if there is  heavy rainfall before the freshet is over.