The snowpack along the North Thompson River is normal in 2021 so far (Image Credit: CFJC Today)

By Chad Klassen

FLOOD SEASON

Little threat of flooding in Kamloops, unless hot weather is around for long stretches: B.C. River Forecast Centre

May 14, 2021 | 3:58 PM

KAMLOOPS — At this time last year, city crews were busy putting up Hesco baskets in anticipation of the worst flood season in years. It thankfully never materialized.

This season, the Thompson rivers are rising at normal levels with little threat of flooding.

“We’re definitely out of the worse-case scenario. We don’t have a record-high snowpack this year. It was much higher last year. It was much higher last year. It’s also been very dry over the past two months through the whole south Interior, so that’s been a positive for the flood side of things,” said Jonathan Boyd from the B.C. River Forecast Centre.

Boyd also says it’s been a near-perfect freshet season with no long stretches a hot weather and no heavy rain. The weekend forecast has temperatures at 29°C on Saturday and 31°C on Sunday. However, it’s not enough to make an impact.

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The normal snowpacks this year — with 80 per cent seasonal average on the South Thompson and 99 per cent of normal along the North Thompson — is the big reason for optimism.

“The risk from the snowmelt factor has definitely dissipated this year,” said Boyd. “It’s not to say that it can’t still flood if we get into a situation where, hypothetically if this warm spell coming up was for seven days and we had several days of extreme rainfall, we might see some sort of flood effects.”

For now, the City of Kamloops and residents can breathe easy. However, staff aren’t relaxing quite yet.

“We’re in our flood response plan right now,” said city utility services manager Greg Wightman. “We’re following all the steps and monitoring. We’ve started our weekly dike inspections. We’re still preparing for what could whatever comes this year.”

There will likely be no Hesco baskets needed this year and maybe for years to come. The city is receiving a $750,000 grant from the province to cover half of a flood prevention project at Riverside Park that’ll see the Rivers Trail raised.

“Raising the trail will be protecting the critical infrastructure in the park,” said Wightman. “We have a sanitary sewer collection system in there that every year we need to be very cognizant of — we don’t want flood waters causing issues for the entire east end of the town.”

The city says the Rivers Trail will be raised up about two feet. Construction is set to begin in the fall and be done before winter.