“Nature always surprises,” commented area resident Pete Spear when he called this newspaper Monday.
Spear reported that on Sunday, Jan. 15, an “apparent ice dam” broke on the Barriere River, a happening that he and his wife Pat were thrilled to be able to watch.
“A view from across the mouth of the Barriere River on the North Thompson River gave us a surprising and enjoyable view of an angry, turbulent Barriere river – something we have never seen in over 30 years of watching the river from our property – even when both rivers were in late spring flood,” said Spear.
“One minute a river outlet with a frozen gravel bar, with both outlets running under a cover of ice and snow. Then a violent sudden rise, estimated at more than two or three feet, with water running over ice and gravel.”
Spear said this was quickly followed by four inch snow covered ice slabs that were at least two to three feet across, slamming into the gravel and each other. The ice slabs piled up against each other up to at least five feet high.
“This created a partial dam, re-directing the water and slabs,” told Spear, “The chunks were fighting each other, sometimes rising up vertically and falling onto others. All the while, waves and spraying white caps were toiling for space and release, over, under and around the engaged slabs.”
Then, just as suddenly as it started, after about 10 minutes the flow evened out, smaller pieces gathered coming down the river and they slowly plugged the surface of the lesser channel.
“Almost as quickly as it started, the river was soon back to it’s quiet winter self,” said Spear, “Our mesmerized state disappeared, and photos were then taken of the ice on the gravel bar.”