Lil’wat Nation has advised members to avoid travelling on Duffey Lake Road tonight (Friday, August 23). Chief and council have warned of a “heightened risk of landslides” due to heavy rainfall.
Environment Canada has issued a Special Weather Statement for the Whistler and Pemberton area due to a low-pressure system off the Oregon Coast. Heavy rain is expected from Friday night into Saturday. It may also bring localized flooding. The River Forecast Centre has issued a High Streamflow Advisory for:
- South Coast including areas around Whistler
- Lillooet River and Tributaries around Pemberton, D’Arcy and Duffy Lake
- Tributaries along the Fraser River through the Fraser Canyon, including areas around Lillooet, Lytton, Boston Bar and Spuzzum
Rain is expected to be most intense late this evening. Lil’wat Nation said on Facebook that its Public Works crew is on standby in case of emergencies.
"They will be keeping an eye on Peq Creek as well as other areas susceptible to heavy rainfall and/or debris flows.
"A High Streamflow advisory has been issued for the Lillooet River,” said the nation.
“The Lillooet and Birkenhead Rivers are not currently forecasted to reach flooding levels, but the Nation will be keeping a close eye on them over the weekend. Both rivers are expected to more than double in flow so be wary of rapidly changing water levels and take caution near riverbanks.”
The Village of Pemberton (VOP) also warned residents that heavy rain in the forecast will increase the risk of landslides in the area, particularly in places impacted by recent wildfires.
Kevin Clark from Pemberton Valley Dyking District (PVDD) will be tracking the first rain event of this season. He urged locals to keep back from rivers as debris and currents may be dangerous.
“The River Forecast Center has put out an advisory for the area. Flows on smaller rivers like Miller and Pemberton Creek will likely be most pronounced,” posted Clark. “It looks to be in the realm of a two to five year return period type event. That means that Pemberton Creek and One Mile Lake area may be really high. A five year flow on Pemberton Creek is almost touching the highway 99 bridge. Peaks and Pioneer / Mobile Home park / Arn Canal will likely see standing water.”
Clark reminded people to expect the unexpected as “river models are highly unpredictable.”
The Squamish Lillooet Regional District (SLRD) also warned of the risk of landslide and heavy flooding.
“The combination of heavy rainfall and potentially unstable soils could trigger landslides or debris flows, posing potential hazards to public safety, infrastructure and natural landscapes,” it posted. “The anticipated high precipitation rates over a short duration could lead to water pooling in areas with poor drainage, exacerbating localized flooding concerns. Communities with historically lower drainage capacities should be particularly vigilant.”
The SLRD is keeping a close eye on the Poole Creek area. On Sunday, July 21, a “sudden and high volume of water” flowed from Place Glacier and into Poole Creek. It deposited large amounts of silt and sand within the Place Creek and Poole Creek channels.
It expects that this weekend’s rainfall will make matters worse. “Around Poole Creek / Gates Lake, the anticipated high precipitation rates over a short duration could exacerbate ongoing flooding concerns and challenge the effectiveness of the emergency flood mitigation work that took place at the beginning of August,” said the SLRD. “Emergency response work is organized to prioritize the immediate safety and well-being of the public. The SLRD confirms a team will be onsite on Saturday morning with a geotechnical engineer and an excavator operator to perform active erosion mitigation work and water rechanneling during this weather event.”
At the start of this year, heavy flooding caused VOP to declare a state of local emergency on Jan. 30. Many locals were displaced from their homes due to an evacuation order on Airport Road. The Squamish-Lillooet Regional District (SLRD) later issued an evacuation alert for 33 properties in Area C, citing "potential danger to life and safety."
