Research Indicates Flooding Could Become More Frequent
Thursday, June 28, 2012 - 4:54 PM
By Christina Doll
Prince George, B.C.
Research conducted at UNBC indicates intense flooding experienced this spring could become more frequent.
The research involved examining streamflow data from 139 sites in the Fraser River Basin over the last century.
Professor and lead author Stephen Dery says there has been an extreme increase in river flow fluctuations.
He says research did not focus on causal factors, but climate change and melting glaciers could be to blame.
"Another contributing factor may actually be mountain pine beetle as there's a lot of beetle kill in our forests now and that would allow actually more water filtration during the summer and hence runoff as well."
Dery says the increase in extreme fluctuations is negatively affecting salmon returns, water quality, and human safety.
Photo Courtesy of UNBC
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