Questions

1. Canada/BC’s method of gathering and reporting data

 Hydrometric Network
o 2500 active water level and streamflow stations
o Data for 1600+ active stations transmitted in near real-time
 Over 5500 no longer active but data stored with active station data in HYDAT
database
o Most in southern half of country where pop + economic pressure are greatest
 Adequacy of network to describe hydrologic characteristics (spatially + temporally)
decreases in north
 Stations located on lakes, rivers and streams of many sizes
o Water level data continuously logged
o Rate of flow/discharge can be determined
 Taken periodically to define relationship btw water level + discharge
o Demand of real time data growing: needed for decisions involving operation of dams +
reservoirs, h2o quality + supply in many towns and cities
o Flood forecasting requires centers and hydropower companies rely on this data

2. How FBC uses the data

 2003: multi-year study to develop hydraulic model of the lower Fraser River to update flood
profile design
o Key findings released to indicate that dikes would fail if there was a 1894 type flood
again
 Supported by BC ministry of environment

3. Mission has set responses for different gauge readings, taken by electronic gauge which reads the
elevation of Fraser River and relays it to computer

1-5.49: Monitoring

5.5: Bank full conditions. Emergency operation centers contacted to coordinate flood fighting activities

6: Beyond bank full. Unprotected areas will flood. Dyke patrol + increase daily patrols as water levels rise

7: Extensive flooding of unprotected areas, water has risen beyond banks and widened into flood plain.
Dyke defense + repair commence as required

8: Height of water is within 0.6 m of some dyke crests. Large scale dyke defense activities + monitoring +
repair + continuous dyke patrols

If significant flooding potential exists, city will review need to evacuate areas based on river levels + dyke
condition
Data comes from environment Canada, real time.

4. Squamish river levels seem to be dropping, but trend has not been “uniform”. Fraser: uniform but
steadily increasing, flood risk.