Recent History – 2001
Cross-posted: BN17-17: Peace River Hit by Heavy Rains
July 20, 2001
By Mark Nielsen, Daily News Staff
The rainfall that has deluged the Peace may not let up for sometime yet according to Environment Canada.
We probably have another 24 hours to go before the system moves out of the area (and) we start seeing some drier air moving in,” said Environment Canada meteorologist Jim Sustersich.
As of Friday morning a heavy rainfall warning remained in effect, with another 10 to 20 mm expected to fall on the Peace, with clouds and rain expected to ease to showers by the afternoon.
A 40 per cent chance of rain is forecast for tonight and for Saturday amounting to another 10 to 20 mm.
The sun is expected to return by Sunday morning.
Dawson Creek RCMP are asking that parents ensure their children stay away from the creek within the city, which has been swollen and breaching the banks over the last few days.
“Not only are the currents dangerously fast, but a number of the city sewage drains have been overflowing into the creek throughout the night,Ó said RCMP Corp. Doug Aird.
As of Friday morning, 17th Street was closed near the Willowbrook townhouses where water had covered about 300 feet of road and at least three feet had been compromised.
The bridge crossing 17th Street between 102nd and 100th Avenue was under about two feet of water, and the bridge on 102nd Avenue near 17th Street has only a half lane open.
As such, police were urging anyone traveling to work Friday morning to avoid the area of 17th Street between 108th and 99th Avenue.
Meanwhile, the Provincial Emergency Program issued some tips to reduce damage from heavy rains and flooding:
– If immediate flooding is anticipated, shut off all electrical power.
– Ensure eaves are directing water flow at least two metres away from building foundations.
– Dangerous chemicals such as pesticides, herbicides, paints and corrosives should be removed to dry areas and out of potential flood zones.
– If you plug the basement sewer, be sure to remove the toilets from basement bathrooms and plug that sewer drain as well.
Residents requiring help are asked to call the following numbers: Pouce Coupe 786-5794; Dawson Creek 784-3623; Peace River Regional District 784-3200.
Some of the worst flooding occurred in the Tumbler Ridge area, where 109 mm of rain fell in 12 hours Tuesday. As of 7:30 a.m. Friday morning Tumbler’s 24-hour total was up to 26 mm, but they had seen 172 mm fall as of Monday night. Elk Mountain northwest of Fort Nelson had seen 171 mm fall since the storm began, but that was dating back to last Saturday.
By comparison, as of 8 p.m. Thursday night Dawson Creek has seen 50.4 mm fall in the last 24 hours and 126 mm in the last three days. Fort St. John, as of 5 a.m. Friday morning, had seen only 61 mm of rain fall in the last three days and 14.6 mm in the last 24 hours, according to Environment Canada.
Hudson’s Hope, meanwhile, had seen 54 mm fall in the last 24 hours, and Wonowon had gotten 73 mm.