Flood Risk Study Price Increased

By 250 News

Prince George, B.C. –River engineering specialists Northwest Hydraulic Consultants (NHC) have been retained to carry out the flood risk and mitigation study for the City of Prince George. 

The bill for the study has increased.

Initially, the Province had agreed to pay $200 thousand for the study, but now, the bill has nearly doubled and the Province has agreed to pay the extra $150 thousand for the study.

According to an update provided to City Council this evening, Northwest Hydraulic Consultants has “demonstrated significant specialty ice-related flooding knowledge of the Nechako River, in particular from their involvement on the ice jam events of 1996 and 2007-8.”

Northwest  had worked for Alcan  during the ice jam event of ’96.

The report to Council says Northwest has expanded its team for this study with four “sub-consultants” three of whom are local.  The locals have specialties in sedimentation, dyke construction, land use and risk evaluation and fish habitat.

NHC is beginning Phase 1, the flood risk evaluation, in the next few weeks.

According to City Manager derek Bates, the advice from the experts as to a  flood during the spring freshet, is that the situation is "neutral" meaning there is no greater chance than normal of a flood.   General Manager of Development and Operations, Bob Radloff says it is expected that  experts will be able to make some recommendations about the placement of a berm  either on River Road or closer to the Nechako River early on in phase one.  Councillor Don Zurowski also asked that efforts be made to dredge the Nechako.  Radloff says the late winter is having an impact on the efforts to clear the River as it has delayed their efforts to get in to the River that is  the main reason why  there  is no detailed schedule for  Phase One.  The removal of all the flood control works  are considered a "response cost" says City Manager Derek Bates so the cost of  the removal  of the berm on River Road would be covered by Provincial funds.  As for when that berm would be taken down,  the City Manager could not offer any information.  Councillor Brian Skakun says a lot of the concerns expressed by the businesses are real "I think we have to mend some fences and let the people know when that berm is going to come down."  The Mayor says  he is aware  one of the chip trucks "tilted  but it was not on our engineered  access or egresses  it was on a private  one."  He is referring to a  truck which nearly  rolled  when it came off  River Road on to one of the ramps .    Radloff says  the City offered to redo the shoulders but that the businesses said no, "I think it is because it would give further credence to the (idea of ) berm becoming permanent."

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