HISTORICAL NEWS SEARCH - Government of British Columbia

Precipitation: Stewart (204.7 mm/4 days), November 9-12, 1936; Swanson Bay (619.8 mm/10 days), November 9-18,
1936; Namu (226.2 mm/4 days), November 10-13, 1936; Queen Charlotte City (215.0 mm/9 days), November 10-18,
1936; Kitimat Mission (410.7 mm/10 days), November 10-19, 1936; Aiyansh (44.5 mm/1 day), November 11, 1936;
Ocean Falls (305.1 mm/2 days), November 11-12, 1936; Falls River (362.3 mm/8 days), November 11-18, 1936;
Terrace (82.1 mm/2 days), November 12-13, 1936; Prince Rupert (53.3 mm/2 days), November 12-13, 1936; Stewart
(133.8 mm/4 days), November 15-18, 1936; Ocean Falls (223.3 mm/2 days), November 17-18, 1936; Bella Coola
(182.4 mm/2 days), November 18-19, 1936.
Source: Evening Empire, November 12, 16 and 18, 1936; The Daily Colonist, November 14, 22 and 24, 1936; The
Terrace News, November 26, 1936; The Omineca Herald, November 26, 1936; The Daily News, November 10, 12, 14,
16 and 18, 1936; The Interior News, November 18, 1936; The Daily Alaska Empire, November 11, 14, 16, 23, 24, 25,
27 and 28, 1936; The New Outlook, June 3, 1938; The Stewart News and Northern B.C. Miner, November 13 and 20,
1936; The Informer, November 20, 1976; The Vancouver Sun, November 23, 1936; The Daily Province, November 23,
1936; The Coast Mountain Courier, May 31, 1989; Kopas 1970 (p. 272); Tempest 1974; Letters, November 19, 1936,
and no date, Ass. Dist. Eng. Smithers to J. C. Brady (Dist. Eng. Prince Rupert). B.C. Ministry of Transportation and
Highways, Terrace; Letters, November 23 and December 4, 1936, Dist. Eng. Prince Rupert to Chief Eng. Victoria;
B.C. Ministry of Transportation and Highways, Terrace; Telegram, November 10, 1936, W. H. Cotton to J. C. Brady;
B.C. Ministry of Transportation and Highways, Terrace; File 35.41.0 Letter, December 2, 1936, W. H. Cotton to J. C.
Brady, B.C. Ministry of Transportation and Highways, Terrace; Environment Canada 1991.
In November, early snows followed by a heavy warm rain brought about the “Armistice Day Flood.” Rail
lines and roads sustained heavy damage. On November 13, after 2 to 3 days of excessive rain according to the
Government Telegraphs, the Skeena River at Hazelton rose 4 ft. (1.2 m) overnight and another foot on November 14.
On November 20, the Bulkley River at Quick recorded a maximum daily discharge of 807 m 3 /s (Environment Canada
1991). Though tributary streams caused all the flooding, no damage was expected from the Skeena River.
On the rail line between Prince Rupert-Hazelton, the train and telegraph services were interrupted. Eight
bents of the Khyex River rail bridge were swept away. The bridge at Salvus had several bents washed out. The
passengers from the westbound train were transferred to a stub train. Numerous slides occurred between Inverness-
Bulkley Canyon. Near Pacific, railway bridges and new fill that were put in after the big 1935 flood were washed out.
The area between Fiddler Creek and 3 mi. (4.8 km) west of Amsbury was hardest hit. At Fiddler Creek, the bridge
embankment was washed out. Several small washouts were reported between Cedarvale-Vanarsdol. On November 12,
the first regular passenger train since October 23 arrived at Prince Rupert. On November 15, the whole line was
cleared and trains were running according to schedule on November 16.
In the Terrace area, roads were flooded and bridges washed out at Granite Creek and Eliza Creek. On Kalum
Road, Lean-to and Glacier creeks flooded the road. The Copper River Ferry bridge was cut out on the east end and
dropped down. The damage was estimated at $200. The Copper River suspension bridge had its east-end centre bent
trestle approach taken out by a logjam. The decking came down 3 ft. (90 cm) and was resting on logs. The repair cost
for the Copper River suspension bridge was $100. The cost to repair the approaches to Lean-to Creek was estimated at
$100. One mudsill of the Thornhill bridge No. 1 (Remo Road) moved slightly and became loose. One post of the
stiffening bent on the 45-ft. (13.5 m) span of the Thornhill bridge No. 2 (Corlette Road) bridge went out. A logjam was
threatening the bridge. The channel changed its course again, now running against the west pier. Rock was placed
around the pier to protect it. Carr’s bridge No. 187 at Remo, a 42-ft. (12.6 m) long bridge over a dry slough, lifted off
its sill at high water. The estimated cost of putting it back into place and repair of the approaches was $250. *1)
On November 12, Smithers reported a record deluge. From intermittent showers on Armistice Day, the
heavy downpour gradually developed into a deluge. The rain, which started on November 11, removed all traces of
snow.
On November 20, high water and washouts occurred west of Hazelton. On November 23, rail service
between Prince Rupert-Terrace was reported interrupted again, when a bridge at Salvus gave way. Repair crews were
trying to get the train service to resume on November 23.
On November 23, the Telkwa River was reported to have washed out a highway bridge approach near
Telkwa. (The Daily Province).
Near Alice Arm, flooding occurred on the Kitsault shore road, on the flats towards the Illiance River. The
floodwaters took out all the bridges, restricting the road to foot traffic only. Because of a recent heavy snowfall, the
government work on the Dolly Varden road ceased. After the snowfall it turned mild and started to rain.
In the Stewart area, south winds and a torrential rain closely followed a 15-in. (38.1 cm) snowfall. In
Stewart, south winds combined with heavy snow and torrential rain to cause heavy damage. A record-breaking 16.56in.
(420.6 mm) of precipitation fell between November 1-18. Between November 1-7, 17 in. (43.2 cm) of snow fell,
followed by 14.5 in. (368.3 mm) of rain between November 8-18. Stewart recorded 2.07 in. (52.6 mm) of rain on
November 10, 3.22 in. (81.8 mm) on November 11, and 2.65 in. (67.3 mm) on November 17. Glacier Creek
overflowed its bank, flooding the Bear River road both north and south of the creek.
Considerable damage was done to the road surface, washing out the road between Stewart-Dunwell. It took
a crew of men several days to make the road passable. The road conditions up the Bear River beyond Dunwell were
unknown. Side streams and the Bear River flooded the road in many places, all the way to American Creek. Between
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