Image Credit: CFJC Today

By Adam Donnelly

HIGH WATER

City staff optimistic, but remain vigilant about possible flood conditions throughout Kamloops

Jun 14, 2022 | 11:20 AM

KAMLOOPS — On Tuesday morning (June 14), the City of Kamloops gave an update on the flood watch that has been placed on both the North and South Thompson Rivers this week.

Speaking via Zoom, Utility Services Manager Greg Wightman said there is still potential for a significant rise in both rivers — up to half-a-meter by the weekend.

However, if either river basin receives a significant amount of precipitation — 30 mm or more in a 24-hour period — there’s still the potential that the river levels could peak simultaneously.

“We’re almost reaching a point when the temperature isn’t going to be the dominating factor anymore — that snowmelt isn’t going to be the driving factor in the rise of the rivers,” Wightman explains. “The rivers are getting closer to peaking; they’ll remain high for a very long time. The concern is going to become rain. Obviously, with the rivers being that full, any significant amount of rain will drive the elevation [of the rivers] quite high.”

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Wightman says the long-term weather forecast appears favourable at this point, as there are no major weather systems predicted for the region.

However, Wightman says the City remains cautiously optimistic, as the North Thompson River could peak by the middle of next week if the snowmelt in that basin remains gradual.

“As far as the [peak level of the] South Thompson, it’s a bit of a more difficult river to model, as there are the large basins upstream — Shuswap Lake and Little Shuswap Lake,” Wightman says. “It’s a little unknown at this point. [My] best guess would be somewhere toward the end of the month here, the end of June, so hopefully it comes a couple of weeks after the North Thompson. There’s definitely the potential for the two rivers to synchronize this year.”

For residents who live near the river, the City has provided flood mitigation supplies like sand and sandbags. For information on where to get those supplies, you can visit the City of Kamloops website.