Lower Mainland communities are preparing for a influx of water coming from the Chilcotin River landslide.
The City of New Westminster is warning residents about the high streamflow and is closing its boardwalk until further notice as of 9 a.m. on Tuesday.
The closure is in response to the fast-moving water and debris expected in the Fraser River on Wednesday.
People are being asked to be cautious around the river as conditions may suddenly change. Boaters should avoid the area if possible.
Connie Chapman with the province's water management branch told media on Tuesday that the flows have reached Lillooet and the Fraser River.
Chapman explained how the concern is the debris and also the rapid rise of water in communities. She said this rapid flow is a pulse of water, compared to the spring freshet, which is a gradual increase.
Ministry staff are watching the flow on Tuesday, and expect it to reach Boston Bar around 7 p.m. and Hope on Wednesday at 2 p.m.
There is a risk of more landslides and bank erosion as a large lake of water flows past a landslide that blocked the Chilcotin River for days.
Water and Resource Minister Nathan Cullen said experts from the province, First Nations and Canada's Fisheries Department "worked tirelessly" on the response to the landslide, which entered a "new phase" once it breached on Monday.
Cullen said they were preparing for "all possibilities," and though the risks are decreasing after the dam breach, the possibility of more landslides due to unstable slopes remains "a real concern."
District of Hope notified residents on Tuesday at noon that flows are expected to increase and there will be additional river debris.
“The water level is expected to start rising at Hope by this afternoon with an anticipated rise of one metre,” says a spokesperson with the District of Hope.
People are being asked to stay clear of the river as the water levels rise.
Minister of Emergency Management and Climate Readiness Bowinn Ma wants people to be aware that the water level of the Fraser River can rise quickly and without warning.
“If you are a family setting up a picnic on the water's edge, it wouldn’t be safe,” she says. “It could sweep not just belongings but people off their feet.”
The total flow is likely to be less than a typical freshet. Ma says the province is not anticipating widespread flooding.
