By Cheryl Jahn

Waters Rising

Water levels are rising

Jun 3, 2020 | 3:05 PM

PRINCE GEORGE – Warmer conditions on the weekend and rain yesterday means water levels on the Nechako and Fraser Rivers have jumped a metre. As such, crews at the Lheidli T’enneh townsite on the North Side made about 800 sandbags over the weekend.

“It’s very precautionary. The explosion we had with Enbridge was a big eye-opener for our safety plans and everything else. So we’re looking at that as floods, fire, anything where we need to keep out community safe,” explains Dayi Clay Pountney.

Meanwhile, in the city, portions of Cottonwood Island park has been closed due to high water.

“We’re monitoring river levels several times a day,” explains Clay Sheen, Manager, Emergency Programs and Public Safety. “We’re using the model from the River Forecast Centre to base our predictions.”

The River Forecast Centre is issuing or maintaining a High Streamflow Advisory for the Upper Fraser River including Prince George and upstream and tributaries including the Bowron River.

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While Clay Sheen says the water levels have appeared to have peaked, he expects high water will be around into July because of the cooler spring weather.

At the Northside of the Lheidli T’enneh, there isn’t a great deal of concern. Yet.

“The water levels always do come up and, if you talk to the elders, they’re a little bit concerned but not because they know it [the river], right?” says Dayi Pountney.