TNRD Residents Advised to Prepare for Rising Waters

Kamloops, BC — June 7, 2022 — The Thompson-Nicola Regional District (TNRD) is advising residents to prepare for rising waters due to the annual spring freshet.

“We have had a cooler than normal spring in the TNRD, which has delayed the snowmelt in upper elevations by multiple weeks,” stated Emergency Program Coordinator Kevin Skrepnek. “These conditions have led to an extremely high snowpack in certain areas, and an elevated flood risk from melting snow.”

Higher-than-normal flows due to the spring freshet are forecast for the North and South Thompson Rivers in particular. Smaller tributaries and watercourses through the region could also be impacted by potential heavy rain events over the coming weeks. Areas that were impacted in 2021 by the atmospheric river flooding or wildfires could also be particularly vulnerable to spring freshet flooding.

The TNRD has deployed sand and sandbags to a number of community locations in areas where flooding is expected. Private property owners are responsible for protective works on their own property, including the placement of sandbags.

For information on how to prepare for flooding, including on how to properly place sandbags, see the Province of BC’s Flood Preparedness Guide here.

To find out where to pick up sand and sandbags in the TNRD:

• Use the Evacuation Status Map on the TNRD website, by clicking here; or
• Contact the TNRD at 250 377-7188 or emergency@tnrd.ca.

Please bring your own shovel to pick up sand, and please only take what you need. If sand or bags need to be restocked, please contact the TNRD at the phone number or email provided above. Residents are responsible for removing and disposing of used sandbags. Sandbags can be disposed of at all TNRD solid waste facilities.

For information on what to do before, during and after a flood event, visit tnrd.ca/flood-preparedness.

Residents are also encouraged to subscribe to the TNRD’s emergency notification system, Voyent Alert. Registration for Voyent Alert is free and anonymous. For more details, visit: tnrd.ca/emergency-alerts.

A number of external resources are available to residents for information on flooding and flood preparedness, including the BC River Forecast Centre, Environment Canada, and PreparedBC.