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Ice jam in river sparks emergency for Prince George

PRINCE GEORGE — The City of Prince George declared a Level 1 emergency as the ice jam on the Nechako River reached the confluence of the Fraser River. Level 1 means there is a “heightened awareness” in place, city spokesman Mike Kellett said.
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Prince George has declared a Level 1 emergency as the ice jam on the Nechako River has reached the confluence of the Fraser River. Officials worry the river could jump its bank, as it did in the winter of 2007-08

PRINCE GEORGE — The City of Prince George declared a Level 1 emergency as the ice jam on the Nechako River reached the confluence of the Fraser River.

Level 1 means there is a “heightened awareness” in place, city spokesman Mike Kellett said.

If Level 2 is invoked, the city’s emergency operations centre will be staffed 24 hours a day.

The situation is being monitored around the clock and Emergency Management B.C. has been notified that assets such as gabion diking — large containers filled with sand — could soon be needed to mitigate potential damage.

As of Thursday morning, the river’s flow was estimated at 200 cubic metres a second — twice the normal level for this time of year and one of the thresholds seen as a precursor to a repeat of the winter of 2007-08, when the river burst its banks. Homes and businesses along the river were evacuated as the jam grew to nearly 15 kilometres. A state of emergency lasted 64 days before it was called off in mid-February 2008.

The bill for the emergency — including the cost of overtime and putting temporary diking in place — reached $4.3 million. The province covered 80 per cent of the total and the city the remaining 20 per cent.