HISTORICAL NEWS SEARCH - Government of British Columbia

ewildered with the speed with which the flood occurred. Survivors described the flood as, “a great wall of ice that
suddenly swept on the houses.”
Floodwaters swept away a house with eight occupants asleep. An estimated 25 people escaped and one
family was marooned on the far side of the Murray River. On March 26, floodwaters covered 20-30 mi. (32-48 km) of
low-lying land along the banks of the Pine and Murray rivers threatening the community of East Pine. Ice jams in the
river were reported to be 60 to 70 ft. (18 to 21m) high. On March 27, floodwaters receded after taking a total of nine
lives.
May 18-19, 1939
Event type: Spring runoff flooding.
Precipitation: Not applicable.
Source: Prince George Citizen, May 18, 1939; The Daily Colonist, May 20, 1939.
Warmer weather during May brought a rapid rise in the Fraser River. Late on May 17, the water reached the
19-ft. mark at the CNR gauge on the steel bridge, a foot (30 cm) higher than the previous night. Although floodwaters
had not yet threatened the CNR tracks, the flats in the east end of town were flooded over a wide area. The main
highway on First Avenue was flooded at one location.
All the sloughs were filled to capacity and the Nechako and Fraser rivers were running over the normal
banks. Summit Lake was reported to be a full 6 in. (15 cm) higher than any previous record. Crooked River was
running so fast that the freighters were making relays.
Around May 19 near Prince George, the Fraser River backed up the Nechako River causing the lower floors
of many homes on East-End flats to flood. Following heavy rain on May 18, a further rise was expected. On the
morning of May 19, the river gauge stood at 19.7 ft. *1)
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*1) During the record 1936 flood, the Fraser River at Prince George rose to 21.8 ft. The worst conditions occurred in
June 1911 when the city flooded after the river rose to 25 ft. (The Daily Colonist, May 20, 1939).
December 1-5, 1939
Event type: Flooding.
Precipitation: Namu (205.5 mm/4 days), December 1-4, 1939; Falls River (245.4 mm/4 days), December 1-4, 1939;
Prince Rupert (116.9 mm/4 days), December 1-4, 1939; Terrace (160.5 mm/4 days), December 2-5, 1939; Aiyansh
(20.8 mm/1 day), December 3, 1939.
Source: Evening Empire, December 4, 6 and 7, 1939; The Omineca Herald, December 6, 1939; The Terrace News,
December 6, 1939; The Interior News, December 6, 1939; Letter, April 20, 1940, C.H. Thomas to C. S. Leary (Min. of
Public Works). B.C. Ministry of Transportation and Highways, Terrace; Letter, May 7, 1940 S. A. Cunliffe (Ass. Dist.
Eng.) to District Eng. Prince Rupert. B.C. Ministry of Transportation and Highways, Terrace; File 32-20-100 Usk-
Cedarvale Project, 4-A Weekly Rep. No. 10. B.C. Ministry of Transportation and Highways, Terrace.
On December 3 and 4, very heavy rain was reported in the Usk to Cedarvale area. In the Terrace area,
flooding occurred in Remo, on the road east of the Terrace School and the Horse Shoe area west of Terrace. Some
homes were completely isolated by the floodwaters. On the Lanfear Hill Road, a landslide measuring 200-300 ft. (60-
90 m) long and 2-6 ft. (0.6-1.8 m) occurred. Water accumulating on the bench 50 ft. (15 m) above the road caused the
slide. It covered a plowed field and an orchard belonging to C.H. Thomas. It also blocked a ditch, which was
originally part of the Horse Shoe drainage scheme. S.A. Cunliffe, Assistant District Engineer, refused any
responsibility: “The slide was an act of God and the fact that our road wound its way up the hillside is incidental.”
Heavy rains caused creeks along the Skeena River to flood. Telegraph lines were reported down and train
traffic was interrupted for at least two days. On the rail line east of the Kalum River bridge, a series of washouts
occurred. The area was badly cut by the 1936 flood when a gravel bank washed away. On December 5, rail traffic
was interrupted by a serious mudslide along the lower Skeena River. The westbound train was held at Pacific.
Regular service was restored on December 7.
October 17-20, 1940
Event type: Rain-on-snow flooding and rockslides.
Precipitation: Namu (250.4 mm/4 days), October 17-20, 1940; Prince Rupert (90.0 mm/4 days), October 17-20, 1940;
Swanson Bay (412.5 mm/4 days), October 17-20, 1940; Kitimat Mission (205.8 mm/3 days), October 17-20, 1940;
Aiyansh (54.1 mm/2 days), October 18-19, 1940; Falls River (124.2 mm/2 days), October 18-19, 1940; Bella Coola
(187.8 mm/4 days), October 18-20, 1940; Swanson Bay (236.3 mm/3 days), October 18-20, 1940; Terrace (96.8 mm/2
days), October 19-20, 1940.
Source: The Omineca Herald and Terrace News, October 23 and 30, 1940; Evening Empire, October 19, 21 and 22,
1940; The Daily News, October 19, 22, 23, 24, 26 and 28, 1940; The Interior News, October 23 and 30, November 6
and 20; December 4, 1940; File 32-40-10 Letter, October 29, 1940, S. A. Cunliffe. B.C. Ministry of Transportation
and Highways, Terrace (Ass. Dist. Eng. Smithers) to J. C. Brady (Dist. Eng. Prince Rupert) B.C. Ministry of
Transportation and Highways, Terrace; File 32-0-53-4 Letter, November 5, 1940, Ass. Dist. Eng. Smithers to Chief
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