Nechako Rising But With No Problems

Saturday, December 19, 2009 06:44 AM

Prince George- While the cold weather and subsequent ice jam at the confluence of the Nechako and Fraser rivers resulted in the Nechako rising about 1 meter this past week, the possibility of a flood remains very low.

The cold weather early this week resulted in a substantial amount of frazil ice forming and drifting down to the confluence of the two rivers. That ice has backed up to just above the boat launch but is not creating any problems. A high volume of water resulted in the flood during the Christmas period in 2007-08, that is not the case this winter.

Meantime the river is continuing to use the channel along the south bank of the Nechako and then into the Fraser. This is the area that the City had suggested should be dredged.

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Posted on Saturday, December 19, 2009 06:44 AM in News by 250 News

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Comments

Posted by: giterdun on December 19 2009 8:01 AM

"This is the area that the city had suggested should be dredged". Gimmie a break, lets get the record straight...These idiots were to busy waisting money on dikes and hot water systems. The dredging idea came from the readers of this blog. The "EXPERTS" from the city never had one single good idea regarding this flood problem. Thats why we still have the problem after millions of dollars spent. DREDGE>>>DREDGE>>>DREDGE>

Posted by: observer on December 19 2009 8:22 AM

That should be FRAZIL ice.

Posted by: meisner on December 19 2009 8:47 AM

Thank's for the word check, I fixed it.

Posted by: BATMAN on December 19 2009 10:27 AM

Sure, let's spend a few million every summer to dredge the river...........

Posted by: giterdun on December 19 2009 10:39 AM

BATMAN..The river hasn't been dredged for more than 20 years. It wouldn't have to be done that often,and besides gravel is worth money. Most of the problem came from the Otway washout a few years ago.

Posted by: Retired on December 19 2009 12:01 PM

How are we going to drege the river when we cant get past the study phase?
Cheers

Posted by: Ispy on December 19 2009 4:07 PM

What happened in the Otway washout? I'd heard rumour that at one time the Foothills subdivsion was flooded and that was why there is a huge drainage sewer that comes off of Cranbrook Hill just past 5th Ave.

Posted by: Free Enterprise on December 19 2009 5:31 PM

Well if it floods the City and Province should be sued. They were told to dredge the rive and problem solved, but oh no we might hurt a fish...

Posted by: Free Enterprise on December 19 2009 5:33 PM

The city/province would make money from dredging not spending money. Contractors would be lined up to pay to dredge the river. Great source of good gravel.

Posted by: Harbinger on December 19 2009 5:53 PM

If sea levels rise, are we gonna dredge the oceans? Better ask Al Gore.

Posted by: gus on December 19 2009 6:42 PM

Retired wrote: "How are we going to drege the river when we cant get past the study phase?"

Let me give that some thought and put together a discussion paper for everyone.

Posted by: gus on December 19 2009 6:46 PM

"If sea levels rise, are we gonna dredge the oceans?"

Nope, we are going to push down some fill from the adjacent land to raise the perimeter a metre or whatever is required.

Posted by: gus on December 19 2009 6:46 PM

BTW, as far as I know, the Nechako never has any problems rising.

Posted by: He spoke on December 19 2009 9:36 PM

dredge the river is the most sensible solution

Posted by: Eagleone on December 19 2009 9:53 PM

Obviously the river should have been dredged long ago. It looks like its up ten feet when I looked at it tonight from a few days ago. Its backed up and cracking and I think its still going up. The next few days will be critical IMO if it gets a channel formed under the ice or not.

If it warmed up for a day or two, and then froze again... I think we would be back to flood stage. Being cold I think it will likely burn a new channel under the ice as it stabilizes.

Posted by: Eagleone on December 19 2009 10:12 PM

The Otway washout was that bank wash out off of Island Park Drive. Lots of sand from that went down river, but wash outs happen all the time in various parts of the river.

The Cranbrook hill flood in Foothills a few years back was a swamp dam that broke near the spring time water fall up the Ochakwin ravine. It was a one off event from what I could see. A flash flood that happened very quickly and although large I don't think it flooded any homes. Most of the wood from it ended up on my parents front lawn.