River Levels at Record Lows

Friday, September 08, 2006 03:21 PM

The Fraser River is showing the impact of a warm dry summer, coupled with an earlier than usual snowpack melt.

The Fraser at Hope and the Thompson River at Spences Bridge, are both below their previous historic low flow marks for this time of the year.

Rainfall for most areas of the province was below the norm, only 30 to 70 percent of the usual rainfall in June and July and less than 1/2 of the normal rainfall in August.

The bad news is that low flows and warm temperatures could be lethal for some fish. There is less oxygen in warm water and that creates a problem for trout and salmon. Low flows also make it more difficult for returning salmon to reach their spawning grounds.

On the Upper Fraser at McBride, the flows are the lowest they've been in 10 years, while at Shelley, the river is the lowest its been in 20 years. Further downstream, the Horsefly and Quesnel rivers are below 20-year low levels. The same can be said of the Skeena and Bulkley rivers in the northwest, both below the 20 year low marks.

Things aren't expected to improve any time soon, as the weekend forecast calls for light showers in some areas, then a return to warm dry temperatures next week.

Previous Story - Next Story

Email |

Print |

Facebook |

Twitter |

Digg |

Del.icio.us

Posted on Friday, September 08, 2006 03:21 PM in News by 250 News

Return to Home

Comments

Posted by: Chadermando on September 8 2006 10:02 PM

If Kemano was managed properly by BC Hydro, than the environment would factor into the public decision making process, and the water would flow that would ensure the Nechako and Fraser below the Nechako are mitigated to these low flow conditions.

Above the Mud river the Nechako is basically a small stream and chain of lakes where it was once a mighty river.

Posted by: YamaDooPolCat on September 8 2006 11:42 PM

Usually when the Fraser gets this low people start driving out on the exposed gravel bars. Some have made it out to Goat Island between the bridges in the past. Entertaining.

Posted by: wrinkledawg on September 9 2006 12:41 AM

Everything must still be ok,I hear the natives are still peddleing salmon door to door.
I guess they are not worried about the future fish stocks.

Posted by: YamaDooPolCat on September 9 2006 9:44 PM

I always say no. But, man do those salmon look delicious! Yummy! I was tell them peddlers I want to ketch my own, and they should take me fishing. Never seems to work out though, so I eat farm salmon.

Posted by: ammonra on September 9 2006 10:28 PM

Everything must still be ok,I hear the white owned grocery stores are still peddling salmon by the truckload.

I guess they are not worried about the future fish stocks either.

Posted by: owl on September 10 2006 11:07 AM

So, if fish stocks are low, why do those who eat them keep on buying them? I think there are plenty of other food sourcers which are not low.

Why work to reduce the supply and make the fish more expensive? Lower the demand side and the fish will become so cheap that suppliers will dwindle.

Has anyone noticed whether the DoF has started a campaign to get consumers to switch to other food sources?

Posted by: YamaDooPolCat on September 10 2006 9:03 PM

DoF? They are too busy doing everything but watching the fish stock. Launching a program to have people switch to ToeFood is right up their alley. It's all us White Trash that are making the fish extinct. The tractor trailer loads of illegal "traditional hunted fish" isn't even on the radar.

That's why is called DoFo, silly.

Posted by: owl on September 11 2006 2:51 AM

The reason why people farm poppies is because there is a market for opium on the black market. It is the white trash who cause the poor farmers in Afghanistan to produce opium.

If the white trash would not want opium, then those farmers might as well tend tulip beds.

;-)