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City monitoring Nechako ice buildup

Prince George Fire Rescue is reporting "only negligible change" since they began keeping an eye out this week for potential flooding along the banks of the Nechako River, City spokesman Mike Kellett said Thursday.
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Ice on the Nechako River just east of the Cameron Street bridge on Wednesday morning.

Prince George Fire Rescue is reporting "only negligible change" since they began keeping an eye out this week for potential flooding along the banks of the Nechako River, City spokesman Mike Kellett said Thursday.

The recent swing in temperature, from lows below -40 C to highs above freezing a week later, concern the freeze and thaw combined with the volume of ice at the surface has restricted the river's flow enough force water over the Nechako's banks.

Kellett said a homeowner on Morning Place did ask the City "out of an abundance of caution" to deliver some sand and bags earlier this week after noticing the water had risen enough to surround a tree.

Environment Canada hydrometric data from measuring stations at Isle Pierre and South Fort George have shown significant drops in the levels of both the Nechako and the Fraser since peaking on Sunday morning and Monday evening respectively.

The last significant jam-related flooding occurred over the 2007-08 winter. Homes and businesses were evacuated an a state of emergency lasted 64 days as the jam grew to nearly 15 kilometres.

An engineer's study later determined the jam was a one-in-90-year event and noted it was was preceded by a one-in-20-year spring freshet. The study also found that past events like it occurred only when there is a flow of at least 200 cubic metres per second and a temperature of -5 C or colder for 20 days.