Prince George, B.C. – The cool wet April has  had an impact   on the snowpack in the Nechako Basin. 

The River Forecast Centre’s Snow Survey  bulletin indicates that as of May 1st, the snowpack in the Nechako Basin was  109% of normal.  Upper Fraser West region was  at 98% of normal,  and 78% in the Upper Fraser East. While that reduces the  risk of flooding,  it increases the risk of low flows in the summer.

While the River Forecast Centre  continues a  flood watch for  the Salmon River to the south,  there is some good news in that  water levels in that river are  receding.  However,  the Centre  says there is a  potential for additional rainfall throughout the BC Interior later this week, and a re-emergence of high flow conditions is likely.

In addition to the Salmon River,  water may  rise throughout the  Shuswap Region,  Boundary, and the South east including  small  streams and rivers  around Castlegar, Kaslo, Nelson, Salmo, Creston, Cranbrook and surrounding areas.

Closer to home,  the Fraser River at South Fort George  climbed to  6.75 meters at South Fort yesterday and is  receding,  while the Nechako River has been rising.   The Nechako at Isle Pierre was  flowing at 297 cubic meters per second today.

The River Forecast Centre notes that while  snowpack is an important factor in seasonal flood risk, the weather  plays a major role.   Flood risk can increase  dramatically  if there is a major rainfall event,  or rapid melt when  temperatures  climb over a short period of  time.   The  Centre says  the  extremely wet  April ,  especially in the southern  reaches of the province, has  left the ground saturated,  leaving rivers to  carry  the  full  load of  water  from rainfall or rapid melts.