As temperatures begin to rise, a High Streamflow Advisory has been issued for parts of the Cariboo Region.
That includes plateau areas around Quesnel and Williams Lake as well as the Nazko River, West Road River, Baker Creek, Cottonwood River, and the San Jose River and surrounding area.
Dave Campbell, Head of the BC River Forecast Centre said with temperatures expected to be above the seasonal average over the next few days, they anticipate the snowmelt to kick off and ramp up.
“We’re seeing in the plateau areas around Williams Lake and both sides of the Fraser River is where we have a lot of ripe snow right now around about a thousand metres elevation and those areas are most suseptible to vunerable to see to really see some rapid snow melt and potentially high flows as we go through this weekend.”
Campbell added that the snow melt cycle has been delayed by about two weeks.
BC River Forecast Centre stated in their advisory that river responses will be variable across the region,with watersheds containing a high degree of mid-elevation terrain expected to have the most significant increase in river levels over the weekend.
That includes the Cottonwood River, Baker Creek, Nazko River, West Road River, San Jose River and Bridge Creek.
BC River Forecast Centre said being near these riverbanks, creeks and fast-flowing bodies of water is dangerous and to stay clear.
They also mentioned to avoid recreational activities like fishing, swimming, boating or hiking near high stream flow rivers or streams.