Nechako River: A Source Of Concern

By Michelle Cyr-Whiting

Water warning at Wilkins Park     --photo courtesy of Miworth Resident Nancy Lowrie

While the fear of flooding as a result of the rainstorm earlier this week has eased, the worst may be yet to come, particularly as a result of a record snowpack feeding into the Nechako River.

Allan Chapman with the River Forecast Centre says, "Although the Fraser (River) has peaked from this one event this week (the rainstorm), we can anticipate the water level will get higher later in the year as the full snowmelt kicks in."

"And we’re getting increasing flows out of the Nechako River, which is interesting for Prince George," says Chapman.  He says right now, Alcan has cutback its water release through the Skins Lake Spillway to the lowest level permitted, but, because of natural runoff in other portions of the watershed, the river is slowly rising as it flows into the Fraser.

"There’s implications for locations upstream on the Nechako - say from Vanderhoof on down to where it meets the Fraser - people should expect higher than usual flows and certainly flows that increase now over the next couple of weeks," warns Chapman.

The picture below shows that the Nechako has risen above the sandy shores of the beach and is onto the grass at Wilkins Park in Miworth.  (photo courtesy of Nancy Lowrie)

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