File Photo (Image Credit: CFJC Today)

By James Peters

B.C. Flood

Flood watch issued for South Thompson, streamflow advisory issued for majority of Fraser

Jun 26, 2020 | 12:32 PM

VICTORIA — The province’s River Forecast Centre (RFC) has issued a high streamflow advisory for nearly the entire mainstem of the Fraser River.

The advisory covers the river stretching from Prince George all the way down through Hope and into the Fraser Valley.

Concurrently, the South Thompson River has been upgraded to a flood watch stage.

According to the advisory, the South Thompson is flowing at a 10-year rate at Chase.

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That, combined with a rapidly-rising North Thompson after rainfall near the headwaters earlier this week, has led to the Thompson River in Kamloops at its highest level of the year so far.

Rain forecast for the coming days could see the rivers rise further.

Meantime, the Fraser at Hope has been above normal flows since April 20 due to relatively high snowpack last winter.

In the past week, warm weather has been followed by pockets of moderate to heavy rain on the headwaters, including the Robson Valley, the North Thompson and South Thompson basins. That has resulted on significant increases on the Fraser’s tributaries.

The RFC says there is “little expectation” the Lower Fraser will reach substantial flood levels, but the river is flowing now at the highest levels this season, meaning more heavy rainfall over the next two weeks could cause significant problems.

The graph below shows the level of the Thompson River at Overlanders Bridge: