Image Credit: CFJC Today/Adam Donnelly

By Adam Donnelly

THOMPSON RIVER LEVELS

City officials still watching water levels on South Thompson River

Jun 11, 2020 | 4:24 PM

KAMLOOPS — Early this spring, snowpack levels throughout the North and South Thompson valleys were at near-record levels — between 20 and 30 percent higher than average. Thanks to some chilly weather, the worst-case scenario in terms of river level rise was avoided.

“The snowmelt this year has occurred about as perfectly as it could,” City of Kamloops Utility Services Manager Greg Wightman says. “It’s been a pretty cool spring. Not a lot of heavy rain events, and because of that, we’ve seen some better than predicted water levels here.”

With the expectation that the rivers could rise as high as they did in 1972, the City took a proactive approach. They set up Hesco baskets to protect civic infrastructure at Riverside and McArthur Island Parks and warned residents to be prepared early.

“You plan for the worst and hope for the best,” Wightman explains. “I’m not going to say we’ve seen the best yet because we’re not out of the woods. Certainly, the North Thompson didn’t react the way we were expecting it to.”

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It appears the North Thompson River has reached its peak. The BC River Forecast Centre and Environment Canada have now changed their focus to the South Thompson, which could see some significant precipitation in the next several days.

“Thunderstorms are certainly likely today, but also on Friday or Saturday,” meteorologist Armel Castellan says. “Probably around 25 millimetres could be expected in both the South Thompson and Shuswap area, and as you go further east, as well.”

The beginning of June hasn’t been one to remember, weather-wise. However, Castellan expects warmer temperatures to coincide with the solstice and the official start of summer.

“It’s still about ten days away or so,” Castellan suggests. “It looks like that fourth week in June really being a warmer one to cap off the month.”

For now, the City will keep the baskets and sandbags in place while they continue to monitor the South Thompson River.

“Until both rivers have peaked, we’re not going to start pulling back any of the measures we have in place. Things like boat launch closures, things like that.,” Wightman says. “We’re going to keep those in place until we’re certain we won’t be seeing those high levels.”