Fraser’s deepness above 8.7 metres at South Fort George

Some local parks and trails remained closed on Monday due to seasonal flooding of the Fraser and Nechako Rivers.

Cottonwood Island Nature Park, Paddlewheel Park and the Heritage River Trail from Cameron Street to Lheidli T’enneh Memorial Park are all off bounds, the city says.

“Inhabitants are asked to stay away from watersides, creeks, and fast-flowing bodies of water as they are very dangerous. Avoid fun activities such as fishing, swimming, boating, or hiking near high streamflow rivers or watercourses, which can simply trap even strong swimmers and rise drowning risks.

“City staff is monitoring river levels and will provide updates as they become available.”

According to the Environment Canada measuring station at South Fort George, the depth of the Fraser stood at 8.723 metres as of soon before 1 p.m. today and appears to have leveled off after rising increasingly over the past week.

An evacuation alert for the homes the area is naturally issued whenever the depth nears the nine-metre mark and starts to interfere with sewer systems in the region.