HISTORICAL NEWS SEARCH - Government of British Columbia

week of June. Prince George experienced trouble finding shelter for all the evacuees. Overnight June 11-12, the Fraser River
dropped 0.1 ft. (3 cm). About 200 families of inundated Cottonwood Island remained in their homes.
Early on June 15, the Fraser River at Prince George dropped. A survey showed that there was little snow left in the
watershed. According to H.I. Hunter, the director of snow surveys for the provincial water resources department, there was
only 2 ft. (60 cm) of snow left at 6,000 ft. (1,800 m) level in the Moose Lake area of the river’s headwaters. This was below
the average early June level for the past years.
By June 16, the floodwaters in the Fraser, Nechako and Peace rivers dropped. The Fraser receded from some of the
homes, which flooded in the Prince George area during the previous week.
According to BC Hydro’s co-chairman Dr. Gordon Shrum, the 1964 flood on the Peace River was the “worst
in history” and was causing concern for construction of the Portage Mountain hydro dam at Hudson’s Hope. The river
had reached 295,000 cfs (8,354 m 3 /s) well above the previous record of 267,000 cfs (7,561 m 3 /s) in 1922.
On June 11, the water level at the cofferdam that held back the Peace River from the dry riverbed where the
dam was being constructed rose 1.5 ft. (45 cm). There was still 8.5 ft. (2.55 m) to go before the water would reach the
top of the cofferdam. If it would become necessary, another 5 ft. (1.5 m) could quickly be added. Three tunnels
diverted the river from the construction area. The capacity of the tunnels was 320,000 cfs (9,062 m 3 /s)
July 7-9, 1964
Event type: Flooding and rockslide.
Precipitation: Prince Rupert A (24.9 mm/1 day), July 7, 1964; Terrace (10.4 mm/1 day), July 9, 1964.
Source: Terrace Omineca Herald, July 15, 1964; J. Mekechuck, pers. comm. 1989. CN Railway, Edmonton, Alta.
In Terrace, just west of Eby Street, there was nearly 1 ft. (30 cm) of water on the highway.
On July 10, CNR reported a rockslide, measuring a length of 80 ft. (24 m) and a depth of 16 ft. (4.8 m) at
Mile 1.7 near Seal Cove. The rail line was closed for 17.5 hours.
September 10-13, 1964
Event type: Landslide.
Precipitation: Terrace (104.7 mm/3 days), September 10-12, 1964; Tasu Sound (95.3 mm/2 days), September 12-13,
1964; Falls River (44.7 mm/1 day), September 13, 1964.
Source: Terrace Omineca Herald, September 16, 1964; B.C. Ministry of Public Works 1966 (p. C 105).
In Terrace, heavy rains delayed the paving of the western section of Highway 16 from Eby Street to the
Kalum bridge.
During mid-September, Highway 16 was closed due to a large slide in the Bulkley Canyon section. (B.C.
Ministry of Public Works 1966).
October 16-20, 1964
Event type: Flooding.
Precipitation: Terrace (59.7 mm/1 day), October 16, 1964; Tasu Sound (175.0 mm/3 days), October 17-19, 1964;
Sandspit A (27.2 mm/1 day), October 18, 1964; Langara (43.2 mm/1 day), October 18, 1964; Aiyansh (111.5 mm/2
days), October 18-19, 1964; Prince Rupert (131.1 mm/2 days), October 19-20, 1964; Terrace (49.3 mm/1 day),
October 20, 1964.
Source: Prince Rupert Daily News, October 19, 20 and 21, 1964; Terrace Omineca Herald, October 21, 1964; The
Interior News, October 21 and 28, 1964; The Vancouver Sun, October 21, 1964; Juneau Alaska Empire, October 18,
1964; Meziadin Environmental Advisory Team 1975 (Vol. 3, Fig. 4-9).
A gale gusting up to 92 mph (170.5 km/h) caused damage in the Prince Rupert area. Westview Elementary
School Section II had part of its asphalt/gravel roofing blown off. The stormy weather caused a delayed arrival at
Prince Rupert of the Alaskan State Ferry Taku. The Japanese freighter Kobe Maru was driven aground in the Prince
Rupert harbour.
On October 21, the Skeena River near Terrace rose 4 ft. (1.2 m). The North Kalum River flooded its banks
near Beaver Flats, about 45 mi. (72 km) north of Terrace. The operations of the Columbia Cellulose Co. in the Nass
area were halted. Approximately 60 workers were affected. Peak flows occurred on several streams. The Kispiox
River near Hazelton recorded a mean daily discharge of 28,800 cfs (815 m 3 /s). The Zymoetz River near Terrace
recorded a mean daily discharge of 37,000 cfs (1,047 m 3 /s) (Meziadin Environmental Advisory Team 1975).
In the Kispiox area, some low-lying farmland was under 12-15 ft. (3.6-4.5 m) of water. Two cabins and a
small trailer washed into the river. It was described as the “worst fall flooding since 1936.” On October 19, rain and
warm winds melting snow caused flooding along the Kispiox River. In a very short period the Kispiox River and one
of its tributaries, the Sweetin River, rose nearly 10 ft. (3 m). The Kispiox River near Hazelton recorded a mean daily
discharge of 28,800 cfs (815 m 3 /s) (Meziadin Environmental Advisory Team 1975). A section of the Kispiox Road
and farmlands about 20 mi. (32 km) north of Hazelton were inundated. The river covered the entire Jackson’s Flat just
north of 17 Mile bridge. The road at Love’s ranch and oat fields near the house were flooded. A stranded car had only
its top above water. Cattle were moved back from the river, but acres of good hay land and a silo were flooded.
Telephone communications were knocked out and some residents had to leave their homes. Further north, where the
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