HISTORICAL NEWS SEARCH - Government of British Columbia

1989), which is about one third of the mean flow of Amazon River at its mouth. A jökulhlaup associated with an
earlier phase of the lake had a peak discharge of about 470,000 m 3 /s (Clarke 1989).
Although Lake Alsek no longer exists, it would re-form if Lowell Glacier were to surge about 1 km. A major
blockage of Alsek River might inundate the town of Haines Junction and sections of Haines Road and Alaska Highway
(Clague and Evans 1994).
-----------------------
*1) Although Lowell Glacier may have impounded a small lake in the early years of this century, no lake existed in
Alsek Valley after 1917 (Clague and Rampton 1982).
September 13-15, 1909
Event type: Flooding?
Precipitation: Swanson Bay (182.4 mm/3 days), September 13-15, 1909; Prince Rupert (180.8 mm/2 days), September
14-15, 1909; Port Simpson (116.0 mm/2 days), September 14-15, 1909; Ikeda Bay (90.9 mm/2 days), September 14-
15, 1909.
Source: The Empire, September 18, 1909.
On September 15, Prince Rupert recorded 5.11 in. (129.8 mm) of rain in a 24-hour period. Three buildings
in Prince Rupert collapsed.
December 11-12, 1910
Event type: Snow avalanche.
Precipitation: Prince Rupert (92.7 mm/2 days), December 11-12, 1910; Swanson Bay (243.4 mm/2 days), December
11-12, 1910; Prince Rupert (55.1 mm/1 day), December 12, 1910.
Source: The Prince Rupert Optimist, December 13, 1910.
Prince Rupert reported 1.56 in. (39.6 mm) of rain on December 13. A snowslide some 60 mi. (96 km) east of
Prince Rupert interrupted the telegraph service.
March 12-13, 1911
Event type: Snow and debris slides.
Precipitation: Swanson Bay (130.0 mm/1 day), March 12, 1911; Prince Rupert (163.0 mm/2 days), March 12-13, 1911.
Source: The Prince Rupert Optimist, March 12 and 13, 1911; The Omineca Herald, March 11, 1911; The Evening
Empire, March 13, 1911.
On March 12, Prince Rupert reported 3.14 in. (79.8 mm) of rain and on March 13, 3.84 in. (97.5 mm). The
first Grand Trunk Pacific (GTP) train of the season reached Prince Rupert after the rotary plow cleared the line. The
worst snow and debris slides were at Mile 43 and Mile 46.
March 27-29, 1911
Event type: Snow avalanches.
Precipitation: Prince Rupert (116.8 mm/3 days), March 27-29, 1911; Swanson Bay (203.7 mm/3 days), March 27-29,
1911.
Source: The Evening Empire, March 13, 1911; Island Colonist, March 23, 1911.
On March 28, Prince Rupert reported 2.89 in. (73.4) of rain. Many snowslides occurred on the GTP rail line.
The slides were at Mile 42, 42.5, and 43, with small slides between Mile 41-44 and a big slide at Mile 44. A total of
275 men were working at clearing the line.
May 1911
Event type: Snow avalanches.
Precipitation: Not applicable.
Source: Victoria Daily Times, May 20, 1911.
Around the middle of May, snow avalanches covered the GTP railway track of the mail line under
construction east of Prince Rupert. The line considered by railroad engineers as the most difficult and expensive piece
of track building in Canada, was built to within 50 mi. (80 km) of Hazelton when avalanches blocked the line. The
slides, which piled drifts up to 100 ft. (30 m) deep, were “mingled with boulders that weighed several tons.” It was
estimated it would cost $30,000 to clear the line. “Centrifugal snow ploughs were unable to make a dent in the drift….
and the wreckage shoveled by slow stages into the Skeena River.”
June 1911
Event type: Spring runoff flooding.
Precipitation: Not applicable.
Source: Prince George Citizen, May 31, 1928; The Daily Colonist, May 20, 1939.
9