HISTORICAL NEWS SEARCH - Government of British Columbia

A special camp was rented, fitted, reroofed, equipped, and put in shape at Kitwanga. Crews up to 250 men and 100
pieces of equipment were working on “one of the largest highway reconstruction projects in the province’s history.”
Given the combined efforts of Bridge, Road and Construction crews from all Regions, Highway 16 was closed for only
nine days (B.C. Ministry of Transportation, Communications and Highways 1980).
Summary of highway damage Highway 16 east of Terrace: Shandilla Creek sustained minor upstream
shoulder damage. Price Creek had a destroyed culvert and a washout 150 ft. (45 m) long and 20 ft. (6 m) deep.
Opposite Woodcock, water and gravel was on the road. Opposite Wilson Creek was a washout 300 ft. (90 m) long and
20 ft. (6 m) deep, affecting both lanes, and a washout 100 ft. (30 m) long over both lanes. On Lot 2351 was a washout
200 ft. (60 m) long and 100 ft. (30 m) deep over both lanes. The westbound shoulder was out on Lot 221. Lot 2355C
had the upstream shoulders eroded around the abutments. At Flint Creek, trees blocked the upstream end of an
approximately 15-ft. (4.5 m) diameter culvert. The shoulders at both ends of the culvert were washed out. At Klootch
Canyon there were two trees across the highway at the south end of the canyon. Lot 4770 and block “B” had small
slides over the eastbound lane. On Lot 4766, the westbound lane washed out for a distance of 100 ft. (30 m). Lot 910
had shoulder washouts and debris on the road. Opposite the Chis-in-Kaht Indian Reserve, the westbound shoulder was
gone for 400 ft. (120 m), and had a 20-ft. (6 m) drop at the end of the pavement. At Devils Elbow, the westbound
shoulder washed out for a distance of 300 ft. (90 m) and had debris on the road. At (Big) Oliver Creek, the retaining
wall at the west end was undermined, and had a rockslide 0.5 mi. (800 m) north of there. At Little Oliver Creek, the
east span section of the bridge collapsed, requiring a 60 ft.-(18 m) Bailey bridge. On Lot 6635, the westbound
shoulder washed out for approximately 30 ft. (9 m). At Legate Creek the bridge was skewed on the piers with the east
span down, and the fill around the west abutment was gone. On Lot 4490, the eastbound lane washed out for 100 ft.
(30 m). Opposite Carpenter Creek, the westbound lane washed out for 100 ft. (30 m). St. Croix Creek had a 150-ft.
(45-m) washout after the 12-ft. (3.6 m) diameter culvert washed out. At Tumbling Creek, the eastbound lane was gone
for 100 ft. (30 m) and had the upstream half of the culvert flattened. On the Chimdemash Creek bridge, two of the
three spans were down and had a washout of approximately 200 ft. (60 m). At Noble Five Creek, the ditch on the
eastbound side filled with gravel for 200 ft. (60 m).
Summary of highway damage Highway 16 west of Terrace: The Zymacord River washed out one shoulder
for 300 ft. (90 m). Andesite Creek lost 600 ft. (180 m) of shouldering. The creek re-channeled, and sustained minor
shoulder washouts on November 6. The Polymar Creek bridge sustained severe structural damage and the deck floated
free of the piles. At Mile 43, a drainage ditch was required. At Mile 46, 200 ft. (60 m) of shoulder washed out. The
Slickenside Creek bridge required minor repairs.
Summary of destroyed bridges Terrace District: Lean-to-Creek No. 73, Glacier Creek No. 74, Camp Creek,
Douglas Creek No. 83, Clear Creek No. 84, Wawelth (Wathl) Creek No. 90, Hatchery Creek No. 11, Williams Creek
No. 101, Chimdemash Creek No. 2170, Legate Creek No. 370, Little Oliver Creek No. 1135,
Summary of destroyed bridges Smithers District: Wilson Creek No. 125, Sedan Creek No. 160, Kitwanga
River No. 376, Stoney Creek No. 268, 15 Mile bridge No. 174, 18 Mile Creek, Cranberry 1 bridge, Derrick Creek,
Taylor Creek No. 115, Fiddler Creek No. 37.
Cost of damage due to flooding (summary of subtotals):
Highway District #51 (Prince Rupert) : $ 319,023.00
Highway District #52 (Terrace): $ 3,922,496.00
Highway District #54 (Smithers): $ 1,997,509.00
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Total: $ 6,239,028.00
According to Transportation minister Alex Fraser, the damage caused by the flooding in the Kitimat-Terrace
region totaled over $50 million. The provincial and federal governments shared the damage to private property and
highways, estimated at $15-20 million. The remaining $30-35 million included damage to BC Hydro and CNR
property and pipelines. The provincial government ended up paying approximately $8-10 million. (Daily Colonist,
March 2, 1979).
By December 1, a total of 520 claims for compensation for damage to personal effects and property as a
result of the flooding in the Terrace-Kitimat area, declared as a disaster area, had been filed with the provincial
government. A team of 16 independent adjusters handled about 750 claims to be covered by the federal-provincial
emergency assistance program. The final bill for the area’s “worst flood ever” would probably hit $50 million.
By the time train service was resumed on December 3, the cost of rebuilding the rail line till that date was
around $2.5 million. It was expected another $2.5 million would be spent before the line would be in its original
condition. (The Interior News, December 6, 1978).
R.E. Neale, head of PEP, said that fixing homes, small businesses and highways would cost at least $12
million. Repair work on washouts along the CNR line and BC Hydro powerlines and the natural gas pipeline of Pacific
Northern Gas would cost another $35 million.
The government originally refused to pay for damage to cottages and second homes around Lakelse Lake,
one of the worst hit areas. Only after a string of protest that included a letter-writing campaign, the government
decided in March 1979 to pay 50 cents for every dollar of damage done to second homes and recreational equipment.
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