Fraser Valley – The City of Chilliwack’s annual preparations for spring freshet are well underway. Every year, City staff undertake a number of activities to prepare for freshet, in accordance with the City’s Flood Response Plans.
As part of the annual program, crews have been mowing the dikes and completing regular dike inspections. City staff also regularly inspect the City’s pumps, floodboxes, and flapgates; review the City’s available equipment and materials; and review and update the Fraser River Flood Response Plan as needed.
“As our province continues to feel the impacts of last November’s storms, people are understandably more focused on freshet this year,” said Mayor Ken Popove. “I would like to assure our residents that the City’s annual preparations are underway, our dikes are inspected regularly, and we are prepared for this spring.”
Councilor Jeff Sheilds was recently on chillTV’s News of the Week with Don Lehn and mentioned the freshet. Shields wasn’t too worried for now. The concern is always a fast ramp up of temperatures that could trigger an equally fast snow melt in the interior, which could and would barrel its way down the Fraser and Vedder River systems.
Following the City’s Flood Response Plans for the Fraser and Vedder Rivers, staff continue to monitor provincial river forecasts, including 10-day flow and water level forecasts, and will take further action as necessary to keep the public safe.
“The City is prepared for freshet, and now is a great time for residents to make sure they are prepared, too,” said Mayor Popove. “Reviewing your emergency plan with your household and knowing where to find credible information now can really help reduce some of the stress if there is an emergency later.”
Information about how to create an emergency plan, emergency kit, and grab-and-go bags is available on the City’s website at chilliwack.com/prepared or preparedbc.ca. For more information about flood protection in Chilliwack, visit chilliwack.com/FloodProtection.
The group Friends of the Camp and Hope Sloughs noted on Facebook: “this year is that Fraser River freshet is almost a month behind schedule due to the cold spring. Because of that, water levels in many of the sloughs are much lower than normal, meaning that it’s really hard to paddle in them right now. At the moment, Hope River from Reeves Road to Corbould is doable if you’re looking for a paddling fix, and the rain forecast for the next few days should help it along. But for Nelson Slough, Bear/Rose loop, and the others, it may be another two weeks before we see water levels that are high enough for good paddling.”
Back in April, the City of Abbotsford noted: Each spring the City of Abbotsford monitors the levels of the Fraser River during the annual snowmelt season to assess the flooding risk along the Matsqui Dykes. As of April 1, 2022, snow basin index in the Fraser River at Hope is slightly above normal at 108 per cent.
The Matsqui Dykes are designed to prevent water in the Fraser River from entering into Matsqui Prairie; however, residents living in areas along the Matsqui Dykes may experience pooling of water or seepage, due to the pressure difference created by the high water level.
Seasonal weather during the snowmelt season is a critical factor in determining the size of freshet, and whether or not flooding will occur. Intense or prolonged rainfall and extreme temperatures are important factors that can lead to larger freshets.
Seepage pooling is quite common during freshet.
To minimize the seepage pooling and/or a boil on your property, please avoid the following activities from May to September near the dykes:
• the removal of trees or stumps;
• deep cultivation of fields; and
• digging holes with machines.
Further information is available from the following sources:
• View the areas where seepage pools were found during previous freshet seasons, or make an in
person appointment at the Engineering Department at City Hall for a hardcopy.
• For more information on the snow survey and freshet season, please visit the Province of BC River
Forecast Centre website.
• For real-time river level information at the Mission Bridge (Station 08MH024), please visit the
Government of Canada Water Office website.
• Report water pooling on your property or to get information on the freshet season, contact the City of
Abbotsford Dyking, Drainage and Irrigation Division at 604-853-5485
