Rushing waterways on the North Shore are still swollen, and the region remains under a flood warning Tuesday morning with officials urging trail users to stay away from potentially dangerous creek and river banks.
On Monday, the Seymour River reached a 50-year flow as the B.C.’s River Forecast Centre issued a flood warning for the North Shore Mountains and Metro Vancouver warned the public and river-users to stay away from waterways and adjacent trails.
CLICK HERE TO LISTEN TO 1130 NEWSRADIO VANCOUVER LIVE!“Do not enter these areas. Conditions are dangerous as fast-moving water, flooding, and unstable banks pose life-threatening hazards,” cautioned the regional district.
While creek and river levels have now receded from their peaks, North Shore Rescue is still urging trail-users to be mindful of conditions.
“When we have these high water levels, there are always concerns about getting too close to the river. Banks can become unstable or undercut,” said NSR search manager Jim Loree. “It’s always a good idea to take a wide berth.”
Loree understands the urge to see and hear the thunderous flow, but says people need to be careful.
“I know it’s exciting to look at, but make sure you are doing it from a safe spot. Also, pets can be a concern as well. We’ve had cases where dogs have gone into the river, and people go in after them. Often it ends in tragic circumstances. Keep your pets on a leash and just be really, really cautious around these fast-flowing rivers.”
With more rain in the forecast, Loree says anyone heading deeper into the North Shore’s backcountry needs to keep an eye on changing water levels.
“Be aware that streams could be quite dangerous, quite treacherous to cross — some uncrossable. People should be aware that sometimes they can get across a stream, and they won’t be able to get back. People really need to plan their hikes accordingly and try to avoid routes where they need to cross streams or go into more treacherous areas prone to flooding.”
The River Forecast Centre says it continues to monitor conditions and will provide updates as warranted.
