The warm temperatures could push the water levels in both the Quesnel River and the Fraser River up over the next while.
Ron Richert, the Director of Emergency Services with the city, says there is still a fair amount of snow to melt.
“We’re sitting at about 101% snowpack for the Quesnel area, and the Upper Fraser area is still sitting between you know 105 and 121% snowpack. So with these above average temperatures for a long period of time, when you have temperatures between 4 to 7 days like we’re experiencing, you’re going to see a rise in the water levels.”
Richert more mild weather will melt the snow quicker and increase water levels even higher.
“The Quesnel is a little higher than I anticipated it would be, but that’s obviously due to the above average temperatures and the length of those temperatures that we’re having and we’re not seeing any decline in temperature at this time. It does cool off at night a little bit, but not enough into the minus temperatures to slow anything down.”
Richert says the Fraser River, meanwhile, is right about where it is normally for this time of year.
He says the rivers generally peak in late May but that could be earlier this year.
In terms of Baker Creek, Richert says there is a little bit less of a snowpack on that side so they’re not expecting it to rise that much this year.
And the Johnston loop, which normally closes each year as part of the usual localized flooding, is expected to be closed again this year at some point.
