Ice jam threatens bridge in Golden, B.C.

Residents in the B.C. towns of Golden and Creston are watching the ice on two local rivers with a wary eye, after this week'scold snap caused ice jams to build up near the towns.

JonWilsgard, chief administrative officer for the town of Golden, said largechunks of ice, some thesize of compact cars, broke away from a Rocky Mountain canyon above the town of Golden.

"The entire lower half of the Kicking Horse Canyon, of ice, came to rest in Golden," he said.

Golden'stown council wasconcerned enough aboutthe ice jam causing flowing and other damageto pay for a flyover survey this week.

As of Wednesday, the ice chunks were piling upperilously close to downtown, even scraping the bottom of the bridge over the Kicking Horse River.

"Our downtown is right next to the north side of the dike and Kicking Horse [River], so if in fact the ice rose and lifted for example the [Highway] 95 bridge off its abutments, we would have a dissected community," Wilsgard said.

The province thinks the town should be fine, butWilsgardsays there is more ice yet to come out of the canyon.

For now the town is watching the ice,taking measurements and hoping for the best.

A similar ice jam built up on the Goat River near Creston this week.

Google Map: Golden, B.C.