HISTORICAL NEWS SEARCH - Government of British Columbia

Between June 18-September 16, designated areas of creeks in the McBride and area creeks involved were
cleared of flood-deposited materials and gravel berms and riprap bank sections were re-established to provide similar
to pre-flood protection for a total cost of 247,650. (B.G. Wilson. November 1986).
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*1) On June 11, 1990, a debris and rockslide blocked this 2-m culvert. (The Prince George Citizen, June 16, 1990).
*2) On June 4, it was announced that Cabinet approved $1.5 million relief for McBride that was hit by mudslides (The
Vancouver Sun, June 5, 1986).
*3) The flood-related problems in Prince George are caused by water collecting in the lower Patricia Boulevard area
between Fourth-Second avenues. There are two sewer line valves in the area. In anticipation of flooding, the City of
Prince George seals the sewage manholes. Floodwaters will spread right over them and not mix with the sewage (The
Prince George Citizen, June 1, 1990).
June 14-16, 1986
Event type: Flooding.
Precipitation: Nass Camp (41.0 mm/1 day), June 14, 1986; Quick (52.6 mm/1 day), June 14, 1986; Smithers A (70.0
mm/3 days), June 14-16, 1986; Houston (49.8 mm/1 day), June 15, 1986.
Source: The Interior News, June 18, 1986; Houston Today, June 25, 1986; Environment Canada 1991; Sewa Tehera,
pers. comm. April 1993. Field Engineer, Structures, B.C. Ministry of Forests, Smithers; H.H. Nesbitt-Porter. Ministry
of Environment. Memorandum. June 25, 1986. June 1986 Flooding-Smithers area; Ministry of Environment.
Memorandum. August 21, 1986. June 14/15 flooding in Smithers. File 55.4630.
On June 14-15, heavy rain occurred in the Houston -Moricetown area. *1) In the five days between June 15-
19, Houston recorded 73.9 mm of rain. Heavy precipitation on the evening of June 14, continuing through to mid-day
June 15, resulted in accelerated snowmelt. It caused flood flows in many local watercourses, including the Bulkley and
Telkwa rivers. Floodwaters were reported to have risen more than 25 ft. (7.5 m) above normal level before receding.
Further heavy rain on June 16 sustained these high flows.
The “Father’s Day Storm” caused extensive damage. Highway 16 and the rail line between Moricetown-
Telkwa sustained heavy damage. The Provincial Emergency Program evacuated eight people from five families at
Moricetown. Smithers was without water service when the water intakes on the river clogged. In the Town of Smithers,
the Beaver Islands Estates, on the east bank of the Bulkley River in section 31, Tp. 4, was inundated. As the houses in
the area appeared to have been reasonably flood-proofed, the only reported damage consisted of flooded gardens and
property access problems.
Near Moricetown, a washout occurred when a culvert on the rail line plugged. A large culvert washed right
out, sticking into the air. The CNR had replaced the Corya Creek trestle crossing of a left bank overflow channel with a
small 1200-mm culvert and a 10-ft. (3 m) diameter multi-plate cattle underpass. The latter washed out and was
deposited some distance downstream. Further downstream, a 10-ft. diameter highway underpass was undamaged
although the road fill was overtopped.
On June 15, about 50 volunteers helped sandbag the Bulkley River near Eddy Park on the west side of
Telkwa. The riprapped riverbank near the Village of Telkwa water intake and the Village and Fire Hall suffered
damage as a result of high water levels and high velocities of the Bulkley River.
On June 15, the Bulkley River at Quick recorded a maximum daily discharge of 721 m 3 /s. On the same day,
the Telkwa River below Tsai Creek recorded a maximum instantaneous discharge of 132 m 3 /s and a maximum daily
discharge of 120 m 3 /s (Environment Canada 1991). The Telkwa River eroded riprap at the foot of Elm Street in
Telkwa. Flood flow necessitated the emergency placement of some 200 loads of riprap to stabilize the right bank at
the upstream end of the existing bank protection (”Bartlett area”). Further upstream, a recently constructed cut-off
dyke probably prevented damage to area houses, and was itself undamaged.
Damage to the highway and road system occurred along Driftwood Creek (Bulkley River tributary),
Coalmine Road (Telkwa River) and Tenas and Goathorn Creek (tributaries to Telkwa River). The Goathorn Creek
bridge on the Telkwa Coalmine Road was destroyed beyond repair. The bridge across Tenas Creek was also damaged.
A Bailey bridge was put in downstream from the point where Tenas Creek flows into Goathorn Creek.
On June 15, Foss bridge in the Driftwood Canyon washed away, leaving several families stranded. A Bailey
bridge later replaced the bridge. One family in the Upper Driftwood was evacuated by helicopter on June 15. Very
high floodwaters and logjams on Driftwood Creek caused considerable erosion adjacent to the Fred Seychuk residence.
The creek channel moved to within 2 m of the building, posing a threat to the house in future high flows.
Approximately 100 m of streambank was left unprotected and actively eroding.
In the Driftwood area, additional damage included the destruction of unauthorised irrigation and domestic
water systems on the Jim Shorter property; older front portion of a house on the Mike Rosger property was now very
close to the creek bank; immediately upstream of the Lester property, and old, reportedly inadequate, timber bridge
washed out and was deposited, along with other debris, on the Lester property. Floodwaters completely surrounded the
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