The Fraser River is expected to remain at high levels over the coming week, and the B.C. River Forecast Centre’s flood advisory is still in effect, from Lytton through the Fraser Valley.
The City of Maple Ridge has issued a flood advisory for 55 properties on the river side of the Wharf Street dike in Hammond.
Sand and sandbags remain available at west end of Wharf Street under the Golden Ears Bridge for the use of residents in the flood advisory area. In addition, a sandbagging depot was established at Albion’s Bradley’s One Stop Landscape and Garden Supplies and is open to the public from 8 a.m. until 6 p.m. daily. The address is 23549 Lougheed Hwy., and can be reached by phone at 604-836-9274. The residents in this area will be given an evacuation alert package if the river continues to rise.
City staff from Maple Ridge and Pitt Meadows are conducting daily dyke inspections, and have seen no issues.
The city closed 144 Avenue west of 224 Street until further notice, due to localized flooding, along with the boat ramp on the Haney Wharf.
Metro Vancouver Parks have closed a portion of the trail in the Kanaka Creek Park south of River Road that is below the dyke. The dyke portion of the park remains open at this time.
Warning signs were posted at Emily Mohun Park on May 17. This park is located on the Fraser River side of Wharf Street in the Hammond neighbourhood. The city asks residents to respect the warning signs and stay clear of the river.
The city Emergency Operations Centre (EOC) remains at Level 1 and the city is monitoring conditions closely along the river. The EOC will be active until the river levels have receded.
The city has set up a webpage at mapleridge.ca/1893 to offer updates on the situation and actions being taken as part of the freshet response plan.
The warmer-than-normal temperatures over the past four weeks has led to more runoff than normal, and hot temperatures and increased snow melt worked its way in the Lower Fraser Valley over the weekend. The river is expected to be high through the week.
“With hot weather forecast over the headwater tributaries in the Upper Fraser and Thompson River basins, increased snowmelt runoff may lead to higher flows along the lower Fraser River into the coming weekend,” said the River Forecast Centre advisory. “Current modelling is indicating that flows should remain near current levels, however increases above current levels are possible.”
Fraser River Water levels were at almost 6m at the Mission gauge, as of Tuesday morning.
The city has information about flooding preparedness, including a safety checklist, on its website here.
The public is encouraged to use caution around the dikes, and stay away from waterways.