Cold Weather Stymies Plans For Warm Water Test
By 250 News
Prince George, B.C. - Mother Nature continues to throw curveballs at city emergency officials struggling to deal with, and minimize the impacts of, the Nechako River icejam.
Late yesterday afternoon, two major events occurred on the river: 1. a build up of water at the head of the icejam caused seepage under the gabion diking in the Morning Place area and some homes experienced minor flooding in their basements 2. at the foot of the jam, observers say it sounded like a cannon going off as the ice shifted and larges pieces broke free, creating a water surge as they rushed downriver in the fast-moving open channel. (click here, for previous story)
In addition, the bitter cold yesterday (approximately minus-30 with the wind chill) hampered efforts to complete the warm water pipeline that's hoped to complement work being done by the Amphibex.
Officials had been hoping to run a warm water test today, but City spokesperson, Kevin Brown, says, "Some of the welding wasn't as effective in the extreme cold temperatures (Sunday), as it had been and that slowed progress."
This photo from the City shows crews at work on the pipeline on Saturday at Canfor's pump station at the end of the Nechako.
He says the work will continue today and testing will begin as soon as the system is complete.
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Posted by: metalman on January 28 2008 9:15 AM
Welding outside at -30c to -50c is a specialized work. Back 20 years ago I watched welders on the Norman Wells to Zama oil pipeline work long hours for a month at a time at these temperatures. At -20c they would start to unbutton their jackets to cool off. Every weld was xray inspected, and any cutouts were recorded against the welder. More that two cutouts a month and you were fired.
It all depends what you are used to.