Fraser River’s high water shuts down Langley trails, boat launch

High water is closing off access to some trails on the Fort Langley waterfront.

As of Tuesday, the Trans Canada Trail was closed from Allard Crescent south to the 10200 block of 208th Street due to flooding in the area.

On Monday, June 7 Langley Township announced that they would close the Fort to Fort Trail from the Salmon River Dike Station to Allard Crescent until further notice.

In addition, the Marina Park Boat Launch and the Langley Rowing and Paddling Centre Dock were closed from dusk on Sunday, June 6.

At mid-week, the Mission Gauge on the Fraser River, the closest major gauge to Langley, was hovering at between 5.5 and 5.4 metres.

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At that level, there is often localized flooding of low-lying fields and trails near the Fraser River. To overtop the dikes or threaten major flooding would require a higher level, of more than 6.5 to 7 metres.

Homes and farms close to the river and outside the dikes, including on the Katzie First Nation reserve west of 208th Street in Langley and the Kwantlen First Nation Reserve on MacMillan Island, are at higher risk of flooding.

For those living in the Fraser River floodplain the Township advises making a plan to evacuate if necessary, including making provisions for pets and livestock, and having packed emergency kits that include medication and other necessities.

High water on the Fraser River typically arrives between late May and June, and is caused by snow melting on the mountains in the B.C. Interior. A year of very high snowpack combined with either hot weather or warm, rainy weather can melt the snow rapidly and lead to flooding both in the Interior and the Lower Mainland.