Skeena River added to list of spring flood watches across B.C.

The Skeena River in northern British Columbia has been added to the list of waterways under a flood watch amid warming spring temperatures.

The BC River Forecast Centre said Saturday the watch applies to the Skeena River, the Bulkley River and surrounding tributaries around Telkwa, Smithers, Hazleton, Kispiox and Terrace.

“We believe the river is going to peak late Sunday or early Monday,” Terrace Fire Chief John Klie told Global News Morning.

“The river is still rising. It rose maybe a couple feet again last night. Everybody in the city of Terrace is watching it, and also the regional district. We’re keeping a pretty close eye on it to see if it is possibly going to break over the bank and create more havoc for people and maybe increase our alerts and evacuation orders.”

Klie said about 10 homes in lower-lying areas could be affected, but in a worst-case scenario up to 100 homes in the City of Terrace could be at risk.

The River Forecast Centre said the flood watch was a result of warming temperatures and rain that have led to increasing snowmelt and runoff.

“Skeena River levels are expected to continue rising through the weekend and will rise further in response to additional rainfall. Current hydrologic modelling is indicating the potential for higher flows for the Skeena River, whereas the Bulkley River peaks have lower forecasts than yesterday’s model run,” it said.

2:23 Rising waters spark more flood concerns in B.C.

“The major uncertainty is the exact location of rainfall over the upcoming days, so there is a high degree of uncertainty whether flows will reach flood stage.”

Flood watches also remain in effect for the Bulkley River, East Okanagan and Boundary regions. High streamflow advisories were also in effect for the South Interior, Cariboo Skeena, Stikine and Liard regions.

Provincial officials are also closing some roadways, as forecast heavy rainfall and warming weather increases the risk of flooding in parts of the province’s north and Interior.

The Transportation Ministry said Highway 1 between Lytton and Spences Bridge, which was damaged in washouts last year, was closed Friday as a precaution and a geotechnical assessment has been ordered.

Another stretch of the same highway near Salmon Arm, B.C., between Tappen Beach Road and 65 Avenue, was reduced to single-lane alternating traffic due to muddy debris.

Cold, rainy weather delayed the spring thaw by about a month and there’s concern that several days of above-average temperatures could cause heavy snowpacks to melt rapidly and overwhelm some waterways.

The River Forecast Centre says current modelling suggests possible flooding this weekend, with parts of the Okanagan and Boundary regions among the hardest hit depending on rainfall amounts.

Emergency officials have put residents in several communities on notice with evacuation alerts, saying they should be prepared to leave if the flood risk increases.

They cover areas in Coalmont and Tulameen northwest of Princeton, Smithers and along the Skeena River north of Terrace.

— With files from the Canadian Press