Province continues flood mitigation and monitoring on final day of atmospheric river system

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David Campbell with the River Forecast Centre said the South Coast will be the hardest hit due to snowmelt, with close to 15 millimetres expected to come off the snow and add to river levels.

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While other regions should fare better, Campbell said they are still keeping an eye on the Interior and what this heat could mean for snowpack and, subsequently, nearby river levels.

“We’ve seen spillover of rainfall going into the Interior watersheds, and expecting ongoing challenging river conditions into the Tulameen River down into Princeton as well as the Coldwater River into Merritt and tributaries into the Lower Nicola Creek,” said Campbell.

He added that flood warnings are in affect across much of southern B.C., including in the Coquihalla, Coldwater River, Nicola Region and Tulameen-Princeton areas .

Castellan added that much of the existing snowpack in the areas at risk of flooding are quite thin and cannot absorb rain water as much as a thicker snow pack, making them more prone to melting.

“That’s what we’re starting to see. Valleys not only on the Coast but also into the Interior, where in addition to the rain, is the snowmelt and it can happen very quickly, especially when considering how saturated all the soils are as a result of having such a long period of wetness. And therefore the impacts from that snowmelt are very close to on-hand and add to the rainfall totals,” said Castellan.

In addition to monitoring these areas for potential flood events, the province continues its work to open roads and corridors.

Transportation Minister Rob Fleming said not much had changed on Highway 1, which is closed from Abbotsford to Chilliwack, from Hope to Popkum and, while it is open from Hope to Booth Rd., it is closed from that point all the way to Spences Bridge.

Fleming said there was a debris slide between Agassiz and Hope on Highway 7 but that has been cleared. An accident along that highway also caused traffic disruptions, but that has also been resolved.

Highway 3 was deemed “open and safe” during the press conference, but has since been closed east of Princeton due to flooding.

With the Trans Canada closed, Fleming pointed out how important Highways 7 and 3 have been for the supply chain.

“Of course the Highway 3 to 7 connection is the main route for the trucks to access the Interior and the North,” said Fleming.

“I remind all drivers to please drive to conditions on this route, and in fact, on all highways. These roads are not in a normal state and we want to avoid accidents and keep people safe so please slow down, be patient, accept that it will take longer to get where you need to go, and drive according to current weather conditions.”

Both Fleming and Farnworth asked that people really assess the need for them to travel at this time, and to leave the roads clear just for those who need them for essential purposes.

Farnworth said he understands the toll these weather related issues can take on people’s mental health, and encouraged anyone in need of support to visit the government’s website, where a list of support services has been posted.

The atmospheric river is expected to die out overnight Wednesday and the province should have a few dry days ahead. However, late-Friday or early-Saturday, another system should be moving in on the south coast, though it’s expected to be a much smaller system, only bringing around 15 to 20 millimetres of precipitation.

The public is advised to monitor Environment Canada’s website for updated weather forecasts, advisories and warnings. Road conditions updates can be found at DriveBC’s website.