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WEDNESDAY, JUNE 22, 2022 | Volume 35 No. 25
A1
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City activates its emergency operations centre BOTH NORTH AND SOUTH THOMPSON RIVERS ARE ON FLOOD WATCH AS RAIN IS IN THE FORECAST JESSICA WALLACE
STAFF REPORTER
jessica@kamloopsthisweek.com
The City of Kamloops says rain in the forecast could lead to Longtime Kamloops resident John Matonovich has experienced first-hand each of the three major floods and their various the North and South Thompson impacts — in 1948, 1972 and 1999. Matonovich has a friendly wager with his coffee buddies that this year’s flooding conditions rivers — both unseasonmay likely be like they were in 1972. He hopes he is wrong. ably high and on flood watch DAVE EAGLES/KTW — peaking at the same time, as early as this weekend. Both rivers peaking simultaneously has led to significant flooding in the past. The city has activated its arrived in Kamloops as a 14-year-old, That year, floodwaters in Kamloops emergency operations centre DAVE EAGLES one year before the flood of 1948. reached 345 metres above sea level at and some private properties STAFF REPORTER dave_eagles@kamloopsthisweek.com Matonovich’ recalls seeing a their peak on June 13, flooding large have seen localized flooding water-covered McArthur Island and swaths of low-lying areas at a time due to thunderstorms that have t 88 years of age, John the South Thompson River level before much flood-mitigation infrarecently rolled through the area. Matonovich has a flood approaching where Kamloops City structure was established. The high “That worst-case scenario of memories of the city Hall currently stands today. waters of 1948 forced hundreds of fam- that we’ve been speaking about he loves, having lived “There’s only a handful of us left ilies to temporarily flee their homes for a while — of the North and through the major flood in my generation,” Matonovich said. and made Kamloops a figurative island South peaking at the same events of 1948, 1972 and 1999. “Kamloops was only about 10,000 for parts of May and June. time — is becoming more The longtime Brocklehurst resident people.” See PADDLING, A6 and more a possibility here,”
STORIES SPILLING OUT
A
city utility services manager Greg Wightman told reporters near the high-water marker at Riverside Park on Tuesday. Tuesday marked the summer solstice, but spring freshet is behind this year, due to a cool spring and significantly more snow still in the mountains compared to normal. Typically, the mountains at this time of year are generally snow-free, but there is “a lot of snow left up in the higher level elevations left to come down,” Wightman said. He said the city is expecting a 1999-level flood event as a possible high projection and continues preparing for the historic 1972 level. Both dates appear on that high-water monument in the park. See RAIN AND HEAT, A5
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