LangleyAdvance
Students on board pg A11
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Tuesday, June 12, 2012
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Boats are riding a bit higher than normal as the spring runoff arrived in the Lower Fraser this week. Some early warnings have been given to residents living in the floodplain beyond the dikes.
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Fraser rising as Interior snow melts Heavy rain inland means Langley emergency planners are keeping their eye on the river.
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Glen Valley. Sherlock, members of the RCMP and other emergency service providers met Monday morning to talk about the situation, but the water is still far below the level where it could pose a serious danger even on the floodplain. by Matthew Claxton Water levels have hit as high as mclaxton@langleyadvance.com six metres in 2007, and again two years ago, without causing sigThe Fraser River’s levels are nificant impacts. Water that high heading up, and local emergency will flood some low-lying fields planners began issuing the first heads-up warnings to those in the and campsites along the river. “After six metres, we’re starting potential flood zone Monday. Heavy rains in the Interior have to look at roads being impacted,” swollen the Upper Fraser and late Sherlock said. Allard Crescent could be floodlast week, flood warnings were ed out if water issued for areas in rises higher than and around Prince “It all depends on that. George. Much higher, Water levels how quickly the snow and water will be near Langley melts.” on the dikes that spiked over the Ginger Sherlock protect much of weekend as the the floodplain. water came down If that happens, from the Upper emergency personFraser. nel will be monitoring the dikes From around 4.5 metres, the 24 hours a day, watching for water level hit 5.189 metres on water seeping through or potenthe Mission gauge by Monday tial breaks. morning. On Sunday and Monday, As the level passed five metres, water was creeping up towards Langley Emergency Coordinator Ginger Sherlock and others began the campsites at Derby Reach Regional Park, but had not yet issuing notifications to residents in the Fraser floodplain, near Fort caused Metro Vancouver to close the park. Langley, Allard Crescent, and
Matthew Claxton/Langley Advance
Campsites at Derby Reach Regional Park are seeing the water come closer. Some low-lying fields around Allard Crescent and in Fort Langley were becoming waterlogged. It’s unknown if the current pulse of water will be the highest level of the year, or if the water will recede and rise again. “It all depends on how quickly the snow melts,” said Sherlock. That will depend on how much rain and heat hit the B.C. Interior in the next few weeks. Mild weather means a slower melt and reduced risk of flooding anywhere in the Fraser River system. The most recent May 15 snow report showed that there was
very high snowpacks still remaining on some Interior mountains. Parts of the Interior received up to 167 per cent of the average snowfall, while other areas, including parts of the Lower Fraser, received little more than the average. According to Dave Campbell, head of the provincial River Forecast Centre, it takes between 2.5 and three days for water to make its way down from the Thompson and North Fraser rivers to the Lower Mainland. He expects water levels could hit as high as 5.8 to 6.0 metres in the Lower Fraser this year.