Warm weather no immediate risk to river levels

It will take more than just a few days of warm weather to get the ice on both the Fraser and Nechako Rivers to budge.

As the head of the BC Rivers Forecast Centre, Dave Campbell says it will likely still be some time before we see the rivers flowing.

“For things like the Fraser River, and the Nechako, we’re still probably a month away, or more, before we’re in the spring melt,” Campbell told MyPGNow.

While the flooding and ponding inside the city may pose as a nuisance for some, Campbell says it actually may be a good thing ahead of the river-melt.

“It breaks down the timing of how the snow moves out,” Campbell said. “So when we get this lower elevation snow moving out now, when it comes to a month, or eight weeks from now, that snow’s gone, the water is gone from it.”

Campbell adds that proper management of the current melt will only aid in limiting issues as the season progresses.

“Then, really, the rivers just have to deal with the capacity of that higher elevation snow. The more we can extend the season of melt and have some of it leave with this warmer weather over the next week or so, that definitely puts less pressure later in the season.”

With the warmer weather, however, it’s still recommended that residents err on the side of caution, as any precipitation can cause issues.

“As we come into the season, it’s the season where flooding is possible,” said Campbell. “We can get a rainstorm up in the headwaters of the Fraser, for example, that can cause high flows.”

To ensure proper management of the seasonal melt is ensured, residents are urged to contact the City of Prince George by dialing 3-1-1 if any ponding or flooding is noticed as a result of the warm weather.