Prince George, B.C.- The task of monitoring the level of the Nechako River is underway again as the river rose one meter in just 8 hours yesterday. As the level of the water rose, so did the concerns Prince George could face another ice jam flood event.

It has been just over a year since the Nechako Ice Jam event which flooded numerous homes and businesses. The clean up from that flood has yet to be complete as the damage in Cottonwood Island park has not yet been repaired. 

City Manager Derek Bates says monitoring sites have been established but the Nechako has a long way to go before it reaches levels witnessed last year “The river was very low this year when the freeze up started” says Bates “So there is lots of capacity before there will be any problem.” 

Bates says Lyle Larson with the Provincial Ministry of the Environment, and Dave Andres, a consultant from Edmonton, both say there is a very low probability of a repeat flood event this year.

The City has not yet installed any of its flood mitigation works says Bates. The City Manager says the City  had hoped to dredge a channel in Cottonwood Island Park, but has yet to receive the permission to do so.   Bates says neither the Provincial Minister of the Environment nor the Federal Department of Fisheries and Oceans has given permission for that gravel ( and debris) removal process to begin. Minister for Public Safety and Solicitor General John Van Dongen has been calling on the City to go ahead with the dredging as he wanted to see some activity rather than studies.