Terms of Reference For Flood Review Delivered

By 250 News

Prince George, B.C.-  The terms of reference for the flood risk analysis and  solutions have been delivered to Prince George City Council.

The first phase, which is to  be complete  within 6 months,  calls for  a  review of all existing information, to help project   how big a threat  of  ice jams and flooding really are,  how much damage has occurred in the past, and options  to avoid such damage in the future.

As part of the review, there will be an inventory taken of Civic infrastructure, residential, commercial and industrial assets within the floodplain.

There will be a complete review of flood relief options including:

• Land use change,
• permanent diking, 
• side channel flood ways, 
• gravel  extraction(dredging) and 
• upstream diversion or regulation(Rio Tinto / Alcan)

The  review will not be limited to the  ice jam event, it will also  examine the freshet flooding  on the Nechako and Fraser Rivers.  That will include an examination of groundwater, environmental impacts of  mitigation, flood plain drainage,  purchase of properties or rights of way, for access to land to establish flood mitgation works

Once all that is done and presented to Council for approval in 6 months…then  phase two will get underway:

Phase 2 starts with public consultation which will be followed by the selection of the Flood Control Solutions:

• Flood Control Infrastructure –Identify and evaluate the proposed infrastructure measures complete with cost estimates  and timelines for property acquisition, regulatory approvals, design and construction.

• Land Use – Identify land use changes that are considered necessary from the risk analysis and the feasibility assessment. Provide timelines and implementation strategies.

• River Solutions – In-river solutions such as gravel extraction and side channel diversion/relief flood ways that satisfy the risk analysis and feasibility assessment may require further review with regulatory agencies. Identify the processes necessary to obtain the necessary approvals complete with cost estimates and time lines.

The final step will see a revision to the flood plain map for Prince George.

Councillor Don Zurowski wanted to know why the City is dealing with this, "Why isn't the Province  doing this, there are some who would say it is the 'Province's River'"

Development Services Bob Radloff  agrees but says the Province didn't necessarily  see it that way, "The Province  felt is was best that the Constituency  be in charge and manage the process"  Radloff says that was the way the funding would be delivered.

  Radloff says there is some  Provincial support for dredging.  The Province has already been dredging the mouth of the Fraser,  to reduce the potential of flooding there.  Radloff says the Province is open to  exploring the dredging ideas  throughout the River system to see what  might be done.

Radloff says the involvement of the Nechako River Residents Association  will be more than welcome to be part of the discussions at the end of phase one, when public consultation is expect4d to get into high  gear. 

The Co Chair of the Nechako River Residents Flood Coalition Ed Mazur, says  he  isn't unhappy with the  terms of reference,  he just wishes the process could speed up a bit.  "12 months is a long time,  if we  had something by this September showing us that we were moving forward, that  would be great,  but I don't see that right now."

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