No Dollar Amount Attached to Hot Water Jam Melt Plan

Thursday, January 10, 2008 12:21 PM

Prince George, B.C. - There is still no cost estimate attached to the plan to use hot water to melt the ice jam in the Nechako River, but the City’s head of Development Services, Bob Radloff says the idea is the best one available ( click on photo of Bob Radloff at right for video ).

The full plan calls for 2.7 kms of piping and it could be constructed in two weeks if the regulatory bodies approve the project, and the Province agrees to pick up the tab.

The proposal is being finalized now, and is not yet in the hands of the Provincial Emergency Program representatives. If approved, the project would see 500 gallons per minute of 20degree Celsius water pumped into the Nechako at three different points.

In the end, PEP Director Jim Whyte says the project’s approval will be a business decision. If the cost of the project far outweighs the amount the Province will have to pay to those who suffered damages, the project won’t likely get the approval.

Despite the good news on the River’s condition this morning, (open channels and reduced water levels) water and ice expert Paul Doyle says the City must continue with it’s mitigation works as no one can predict what the river will do.

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Posted on Thursday, January 10, 2008 12:21 PM in News by 250 News

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Comments

Posted by: ChooseChangePG on January 10 2008 1:01 PM

For to long we have had a mayor who lacks real leadership and who is out of touch with the realities facing local residents.

Most recently during this flood crisis, instead of taking action and getting results for the city - our fearless leader outsources the job to his former campaign manager Kevin Brown.

Yes, that's right! Kevin Brown has been given a city contract to spearhead the media effort during the crisis! What a fantastic use of taxpayer dollars!

In times of crisis we need a mayor who is willing to lead, not dole our contracts to political allies.

Leaders Set Priorities. Leaders Get Things Done. Colin Kinsley is NOT a Leader.

If you have had enough � join the grassroots campaign to elect bold new leaders to City Hall in November.

Visit our makeshift online home: http://choosechangepg.googlepages.com/choosechangepg

Spread the message.

Posted by: diplomat on January 10 2008 1:36 PM

The last P.G. City Council Meeting sure had me sitting on the edge of my seat!

Incredible!

Posted by: giterdun on January 10 2008 4:59 PM

RADLOFF SAYS HOT WATER IS THE BEST IDEA AVAILABLE......SOMEONE PLEASE LEAD HIM BACK TO THE HOME. HE'S LOST. HIS EDUCATION DIDN'T INCLUDE COMMON SENSE 101. CITY HALL IS TOO FULL OF THEORETICAL PEOPLE AND NOT ENOUGH PRACTICAL THINKERS AND DOERS.

Posted by: Harbinger on January 10 2008 5:33 PM

Everyone who got cappuccino maker fer Xmas can all go down to the Nechako with their extension cords and steam that river open.

Posted by: charles on January 10 2008 5:58 PM

ChooseChangePG. I could not access your web site by copying and pasting the information into google.

Could you please post an actual link to this web site.

In case you do not know how to do this, the information on how to post a link is given right below the "Post Comment" box which you have to click on in order to post your comment on this site.

Posted by: Fancycamper on January 10 2008 6:36 PM

You know the hot water may or may not thaw the ice jam, I am betting it will just ad to the flooding thou.

But to my point what will the enviromental effect on the fish be? Here they are in cold water for the winter which is a natural thing, and all of a sudden hundreds of gallons of hot water is piped in there. I don't think it will be good for the fish!!!!!

Posted by: ChooseChangePG on January 10 2008 6:53 PM

http://choosechangepg.googlepages.com/choosechangepg

Posted by: Palopu on January 10 2008 7:52 PM

The pulp mills already put in excess of 10 million gallons of warm water into the river each day, which is why you have an open channel for a small distance. Adding another 720,000 gallons per day may or may not make a big difference, I suspect that it wont do much, and of course the cost would be prohibitive. But Heh: it makes it look like the City has a plan, and at the end of the day it s all about perception.

Posted by: Chester on January 10 2008 8:40 PM

At what point do the rights of fish rise above humans? I have a real problem with the potential disruption of a few fish compared to the lives and livelihoods of our citizens.

This is too big and too important to give fish the priority. Surely to goodness, a few fish will not get in the way of a solution of this emergency. Please, has all common sense left our community? Chester

Posted by: NMG on January 10 2008 10:52 PM

Have to disagree Chester. Both the Nechako and Fraser contain resident populations of White Sturgeon and Bull Trout. If not already endangered, they are certainly species at risk.

It's not 1950 and we can't have a "who cares about a few fish" attitude, ESPECIALLY when this "disaster" is NOT a life or limb situation. While it is costing business significant amounts of money and it is impacting employees, it still is a relatively short-term problem. I don't see it as an issue that is "too big and too important" as to ignore every other responsibility or priority that we have as a society. That's simply irresponsible in my opinion.

Now of course, we don't even know if any of the proposed solutions would impact the fish or the environment. That's why the various branches of government employ biologists and people with expertise in those areas. Their duty is to protect the environment in situations like these and I have no qualms with them doing that if it's required.

Posted by: Palopu on January 11 2008 9:17 PM

The intake pipes to Canfors pump house gets clogged on occasion when they suck up a sturgeon.

In addition the silting of the confluence of the Nechako and Fraser has probably caused more greif to the Sturgeon. I suspect that a good dredging with the goal of getting the river back to its normal, deeper channels would over time have a beneficial, rather than a negative effect on fish.

Anything in the river South of the confluence is already jeapordized, mainly because of the effluent from 3 pulp mills in Prince George, the City sewer discharge from South Ft George, and effluent from 2 pulp mills in Quesnel. I beleive that Vanderhoof releases raw sewage into the Nechako, so we would get the benefit of this release in Prince George also. In addition the Kenny Dam and Kemano has taken about 1/3 of the normal flow from this river.

I think it would be fair to say that we have already stressed these rivers,and it is about time we stopped.