HISTORICAL NEWS SEARCH - Government of British Columbia

powerlines and causing cancelled air flights. Many long-time valley residents said they couldn’t recall “as big a dump
of snow so early.”
During the storm, between 2,000-3,000 customers lost power for different lengths of time, some for more
than a day. The Kispiox Valley experienced the longest outages. Parts of Smithers lost power but the longest outages
were in the rural areas, including Driftwood, Kidd Road, Seymour Lake, and Kroeker Road. To the east, the Quick-
Walcott area was out as well. Other areas affected included Kitwanga, Kitwancool, Kispiox Valley, the Carnaby saw
mill and Moricetown.
November 20-27, 1996
Event type: Icejam flooding.
Precipitation: Not available.
Source: Prince George Citizen, November 25, 26, 28 and 29, 1996; Alcan in BC, December 1996 (p. 9); Geonorth
Engineering Ltd.1998. Nechako River bank erosion study. Miworth and Prince George, B.C.; Ministry of
Environment, Lands and Parks files. Fax December 4, 1996, Glen Davidson to Neil Hamilton.
In November, a combination of higher than average flow and a sudden cold snap led to ice jamming in the
Lower Nechako River. *1) It resulted in severe flooding and localised bank erosion in Prince George. Wet weather
conditions in the second half of 1996 and an early coldsnap in the central Interior caused flooding in low-lying areas of
Vanderhoof and Prince George. Several homes and businesses located on the floodplain of the Nechako River were
affected when the river rose abruptly due to ice blockages.
It began a week after Alcan had concluded a program of higher than normal water releases from the Nechako
reservoir to create storage space for the 1997 spring runoff. Alcan’s plans to shut off the fall release from its Nechako
Reservoir on November 8 were extended to November 15. On that date, flows were reduced from 8,000 cfs (226.5 m 3 )
to 2,000 cfs (56.6 m 3 ). On November 15, the Nechako River’s flow through Prince George was estimated at 14,700
cfs (416.3 m 3 ) and on November 23, more than a week after the reduction at the spillway, the flow through the city
was estimated at a little under 10,700 cfs (303.0 m 3 ). As of November 23, 70 per cent of the reduced release from the
spillway had already been registered in the Nechako River at Prince George. *2)
On November 19, temperatures in the region plummeted to –30 o C for a five-day period. This early and
sustained cold snap caused ice to form quickly on the river, restricting the passage of flows and causing the river to
overtop its banks at some points. Wet weather conditions over the second half of 1996 and an early cold snap in the
Central Interior resulted in flooding low-lying areas in Vanderhoof and Prince in November. When the river rose
abruptly due to ice blockages, several homes and businesses located on the flood plain along the Nechako were
affected.
On November 20, a series of ice jams began forming on the river, which resulted in flooding near
Vanderhoof and Prince George over the following few weeks. Prior to this “freeze up” jam, the majority of the river
was ice-free. The sudden cold weather caused the rapid generation of large amount of frazil ice, which accumulated
and formed a series of jams. The small jams collapsed and reformed into several large jams that resulted in flooding.
Prior to the event, large quantities of water - 8,000 cfs (m 3 ) - were being spilled from the Skins Lake spillway, which
were subsequently reduced to 2,000 cfs (m 3 ). on November 15. Since it takes several weeks for flow changes to reach
Prince George, it was believed that though the flows were declining, they were still higher than normal. Between
November 21-23, the Nechako River at Vanderhoof rose 8 ft. (2.4 m), causing some basements in Vanderhoof to flood.
Unusually high river levels also engulfed irrigation pumps, each worth about $40-50,000.
Early on November 24, the rise in the water level due to the ice buildup touched the underside of the deck of
the Cameron Bridge. At about 1 a.m., the RCMP considered closing it and advised a charter bus company to move
their equipment. Warmer temperatures during the day allowed for a channel of freely flowing water to form in the
middle of the ice and the river level declined by about 2.5 ft. (75 cm). On the afternoon of November 24, even though
the water level had declined 3 ft. (90 cm), the boat launch between Cottonwood Island and the Spruce City Wildlife
Association hatchery was mostly flooded. The fish hatchery with 65,000 Chinook salmon fingerlings was threatened.
The Riverside Trail leading west from Cottonwood Island Park was flooded past the Rotary Park. Water ponded on the
north side of the river by The Pas Lumber mill. By mid afternoon on November 24, the highest blocks of ice reached a
level with the Prince George Pulp Mill Road.
On November 25 between noon-2 p.m., the Nechako River rose as much as 7 ft. (2.1 m). Then the river’s
advance slowed, rising only another 2 in. (5 cm) during the next hour. By mid-afternoon, floodwaters were just 2 ft.
(60 cm) in elevation from inundating the basements of Morning Place.
By nightfall on November 25, icejams seemed to be located in three key areas in the district. The lead edge
of one against the Fraser River ice with its upper edge just above Morning Place; a minor icejam between Vanderhoof-
Prince George and a third one located just above Vanderhoof.
On November 26, the river seemed to recede but early on November 27 it rose again due to a massive ice
jam behind the Foothills Bridge. Rising to higher levels than before, floodwaters reached windows and sliding glass
doors on Morning Place. Between midnight-1:30 a.m. on November 27, the water levels rose 5 ft. (1.5 m). At 4 a.m. at
Morning Place, the water was higher than on the afternoon on November 26, its previous high point. During the early
afternoon of November 27, temperatures rose to 4 o C.
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