WATCH: An SFU Earth Scientist has a warning for governments, industries and developers over the threat of widespread damage from landslides next to B.C. lakes. Jill Bennett explains. Jill Bennett explains.
Over seven years ago a giant mudslide at Chehalis Lake, north of Chilliwack, caused waves up to 40 feet high to bowl into the surrounding shores, destroying three campgrounds.
SFU professor John Clague says it’s fortunate nobody died because the campgrounds were empty for the winter – but says the government hasn’t done nearly enough in the years since to mitigate the impact of future “lake tsunamis.”
“Although it was well-documented and BC Hydro took lessons from it, for the government it otherwise very rapidly faded in the background,” said Clague, a professor of Earth Sciences.
READ MORE: Mudslide concerns in British Columbia
Clague says lake tsuanmis are a threat in B.C. because there are many lakes where part of the shoreline is extremely steep, while other parts are beaches or campgrounds. He says the Shuswap is one particular example where an inventory would be useful.
“You have lots of people on houseboats and parts of Salmon Arm are close to the shore. Not saying you would get a landslide there, but if you did, it would be very destructive. Quesnel Lake and Seton Lake, bounded by very steep slopes. I can’t pin down a particular place this would occur, but we have so many lakes, and so many people using the shorelines that I’m afraid something like this will happen and we just haven’t done an inventory.”
Clague says BC Hydro has examined the slopes around their dams and now have a protocol in place should a landslide occur. He says there’s no reason the government shouldn’t do the same for public lakes.
“This is an underappreciated hazard. All the attention is on these big earthquake-triggered tsunamis…but we’re kind of ignoring this whole other group,” he says.
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