HISTORICAL NEWS SEARCH - Government of British Columbia

January 15-19, 1947
Event type: Snow avalanches.
Precipitation: Ocean Falls (284.0 mm/3 days), January 15-17, 1947; Smithers A 134.7 mm/3 days), January 16-18,
1947; Bella Coola (170.6 mm/3 days), January 16-18, 1947; Aiyansh (126.8 mm/4 days), January 16-19, 1947; Falls
River (147.6 mm/4 days), January 16-19, 1947; Smithers (57.9 mm/2 days), January 18-19, 1947.
Source: The Advertiser, February 5, 1947; The Interior News, January 22, 1947; November 1, 2006; Septer 1995
(p.26).
Between January 16-19, the rail service between Smithers-Prince Rupert was interrupted because of two
slides near Kwinitsa. The first one came down during the night of January 16-17, 9 mi. (14.4 km) east of Kwinitsa. It
was 200 ft. (60 m) long and 20 ft. (6 m) deep. On January 17, a westbound freight-extra train plowed into it, derailing
the engine. A second slide, measuring a length of 300 ft. (90 m) and a depth of 20 ft. (6 m) came down approximately
5 mi. (8 km) east of the first one. A snow removal and wrecking crew was dispatched from Smithers and a rotary plow
from Prince Rupert. Train traffic and telegraph and telephone communications were disrupted for over four days.
The heavy snowfall in the Exstew and Shames area forced a 16-men Public Works Department crew to
shovel off by hand about seven highway bridges. It was feared that the weight of the snow, if not removed, might cause
the collapse of the bridges. To move from bridge to bridge, the men had to snowshoe over the highway. The job was
expected three days. Although the Public Works Department intended to make an attempt to clear the snow on the
Terrace to Prince Rupert highway, it was believed there was little chance the highway would reopen until the snow
would melt in spring. *1) Meanwhile CNR trains were running through a virtual trench of snow up to 6 ft. (1.8 m) high
in places on either side of the track.
In the middle of January, Smithers reported a record snowfall of 105.5 cm (The Interior News, November 1,
2006).
In Bella Coola the schools were closed for three days. The roads were blocked for short periods of time.
Three slides occurred on the old slide site between the town and the wharf. Along the road, 30-40 ft. (9-12 m) snow
banks were reported.
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*1) During the first years after the opening in 1944, it was considered that there was not sufficient traffic to warrant the
expenditure to keep this highway open during the winter months. It was not until the winter of 1951-52, that the highway was
kept open during the winter months (Septer 1995).
April 11-13, 1947
Event type: Flooding and mudslides.
Precipitation: Queen Charlotte City (73.7 mm/1 day), April 11, 1947; Prince Rupert (54.6 mm/1 day), April 11, 1947;
Falls River (78.0 mm/1 day), April 12, 1947; Kitimat Mission (126.7 mm/2 days), April 12-13, 1947.
Source: The Daily News, April 12 and 14, 1947; The Interior News, April 16, 1947.
On April 11, a storm with rain and winds of 42 mph (67.6 km/h), described as “one of the liveliest of the
season,” was general all along the coast.Prince Rupert recorded 2.15 in. (54.6 mm) of rain in 24 hours. In Prince
Rupert, the remains of the former exhibition building, nearly leveled by a storm in January, came down.
On April 13, warmer weather in the Bulkley Valley caused washouts on the rail line near Moricetown and in
the Bulkley Canyon. The rail line between Smithers-New Hazelton was blocked by mudslides at several points. On
April 13, a washout occurred at Doughty. Heavy rains caused the flooding of a culvert causing a considerable portion
of the track to be undermined. A temporary bridge was built over the bad section of track, extending for about 70 ft.
(21 m). In the worst spot the washout was about 20 ft. (6 m) deep.
May-June 1947
Event type: Spring runoff flooding.
Precipitation: Smithers A (39.7 mm/2 days), June 8-9, 1947.
Source: The Interior News, June 5, 1947; Environment Canada 1991; File 32-40-27. Driftwood Creek bridge Letter,
June 13, 1947, D. T. Willis (Ass. Dist. Eng.) to J. C. Brady (Dist. Eng. Prince Rupert). B.C. Ministry of Transportation
and Highways, Terrace.
In early June, water levels in the Skeena and Bulkley rivers rose to high water marks. Along the lower
Skeena River, the highway and rail line were flooded in several places. Some road bridges near Kwinitsa and Shames
were endangered, with water flowing over the decks. The approaches of some bridges along the lower Skeena River
sustained minor damage. At the end of May, the Bulkley River at Telkwa came close to the flood point. On May 31,
the Bulkley River at Quick and near Smithers recorded maximum daily discharges of 538 m 3 /s and 714 m 3 /s,
respectively (Environment Canada 1991).
The water levels subsided in early June, the Skeena River near Kitwanga dropping 4 ft. (1.2 m). Previous
heavy rains and snowmelt caused localised flooding. Near Smithers, the Driftwood Creek washed out a new channel at
Harvey’s on the east side of the present bridges. Driftwood No. 4 Ref. No. 29 bridge required a new abutment and one
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