BC Ministry of Emergency Management and Climate Readiness shared a 10-day water forecast for the lower Fraser River advising that the daily peak level of Fraser River in Mission will likely rise up to 5.8 metres by May 21. This is lower than the 6.4 metre peak experienced in 2012. Please note that at this time, no alerts have been issued for this area. Residents living in areas along the Matsqui Dike and Glen Valley Area’s may experience pooling of water or seepage. Residents are encouraged to stay away from high rising and fast flowing waters.
Detailed flood information is available below and also available through the @abbotsford app. Residents are encouraged to download the app and ‘allow’ notifications from the app as users will receive notifications right to their smart device when and if the freshet conditions change. The City website provides flood information for the Fraser River, including emergency planning and response, runoff conditions and information for residents living in the floodplain. Residents in the floodplain are advised to familiarize themselves with the flood preparedness information.
Seasonal weather during the snow melt season is a critical factor in determining the size of freshet, and whether or not flooding will occur. Intense or prolonged rainfall and extreme temperatures are important factors that can lead to larger freshets.
The City of Abbotsford has an extensive diking network to protect the community from floods on the Fraser and Sumas River systems. The City inspects and maintains the dikes and related infrastructure on a routine basis to keep the system functioning as designed. City staff are closely monitoring snow pack and runoff forecasts provided by the Ministry of Environment and the readings on the Mission Gauge, which is the main indicator of the rising water level of the Fraser River.