The Terrace Standard, Wednesday, April 27, 1994 - A3

EXPERTS CALL the slide in this picture an “earth flow’ caused

when layers of material give way under built up water pressure.

THE MINK Creek slide is not the
first in this area and it won't be
the last, says forest service
specialist Jim Schwab.

And the cause of whal experts
call ‘‘earth flows’’ lies not in
recent logging but in events that
took place 10,000 years ago.
‘Schwab explained the land
around Mink Creek is made up of
marine clays which include layers
of sandy silts.

These were laid down during
the last Ice Age when the
Kitimal-Kalum trench was part of
the sea bed.

‘The glaciers also deposited
huge amounts of sediment when
they finally retreated.

“Marine clays are sensilive to
changes in waler pressures in the
sandy silt layers,’ Schwab said,

Those pressures increased
sharply wilh the heavy snow mell

of early March, essentially
making the entire slope unstable,

Just what set off the Mink
Creck collapse is not clear.

Although vibration is often the
trigger, Schwab noted a check
had revealed no earth tremors in
the area during the period when
the slide occurred.

While it may never be possible
to be certain exactly what set the
slope in motion, Schwab sug-
gesied it could have been the
creck undercutling the toe of the
slope and destabilizing it.

In simple terms, {he bottom of
the slope would have given way
setting off a chain reaction which
saw the hillside begin to ‘‘flow’’
to the valley bottom.

Schwab noled that just to the
east of last month’s slide there is
anolher cscarpment which ap-

“pears lo have been created by an

Creek. More slides of this type are expected.

identical slope failure.

That one, he added, is hundreds
of years old.

On the same time scale, Schwab
said there is evidence of at least
20 slides of this size having oc-
curred in different parts of the
Skeena West area.

More recently, there was the
1962 slide at Lakelse Lake, just
south of Williams Creek.

Present day examples could be
found on the Zymacord, where
the river was clearly undercutting
the slope, and Hirsch Creek near
Kitimat.

Schwab said his professional
judgment was logging had not
caused the Mink Creek slide.

In cases where it had, the key to
the landslide could be found in a
change in water flows on the site.
That was not the case here.

And the evidence of a similar

Who hasn't heard

“Wait until your Father Comes Home!”

Well here’s your opportunity to gain from all that “Motherly Advice’.
We want to hear about the “Motherly Advice” you
have received over ithe years.

THE WACKIER, THE BETTER!

Just drop off your entry to us at the Skeena Mall, and on
May 6 we will choose the strangest piece of motherly advice

and award you witha

Family Tree Search.
DON’T HESITATE, ENTER TODAY.

SHEEN elit

[UL

Slide won’t be the last

slide nearby long before any log-
ging took place in the area lent
Support to that contention.

“Given the nature of the fail-
ure, I would say it is highly un-
likely clear cutting was the
cause,’’ Schwab concluded.

kkk kk

Those thinking of checking out
the slide should shouldn’t go near
the mouth of Mink Creek, said
Schwab.

One of the effects of the slide
has been to partially dam the
creek, he explained, and a smail
lake was now forming behind it.

The problem could come be-
cause the dam consisted of ‘wet,
mucky clay and some debris’,
nota very stable barrier. =.

“Tt could go very quickly,’
Schwab said, adding if it did the
result would be a mud flow down
the creek to the Lakelse River.

’ the first step toward negotiations.

- The request has been referred to the appropriate council com-
—tmitlee for deliberation.” " .

News In Brief

Names adding up

A LOCAL petition to change the way federal tax laws treat family
maintenance payments is gathering steam.

Organizer Darlene Gagnon says she has more than 300 names on
a petition she has and that copies are available around town.

The petition asks the government to stop trealing family
mainicnance payments as taxable income. This means that money
which normally would have gone to child expenses is instead paid
to the government in the form of laxes. At the same time, those who
make the payments can deducl them from taxable income.

Gagnon said the petition can be signed at the Terrace Women’s
Resource Centre.

Similar petitions are being circulated in other parts of the country
and several court challenges to the tax law are underway. ;

Leader gets a new job

A NORTHWEST native leader has a new job. Art Sterriit, who was
president of the Tsimshian Tribal Council and then the North Coast
Tribal Council, is now one of five commissioners on the B,C.
Treaty Commission.

The commission oversees the way land claims negotiations are
conducted by native groups and the federal and provincial govern-
ments.

The commission last year began taking land claims statements as

More trailers?

SCHOOL DISTRICT 88 wants to expand the North Coast Regional
Correspondence School by installing three trailers at the corner of
Kenney and Hwy 16 West. :

In making the request, secretary-treasurer Barry Piersdorff sai
the district had applied for money to build a permanent ¢xiension to
the existing board offices. ;

But the education minisiry has said there’s no money available
now ‘‘or in the foreseeable future’’.

The board can afford to bring in ATCO trailers instead.

Piersdorff pointed out the structures will comply with ali regula-
tions and codes, be placed upon concrete Foundations and have
work done on the exterior.

The city recenily legalized existing trailers at Skeena Cellulose
and proposed new ones there and at Skeena Sawmills by amending
its by-laws to allow modular units in industrial zones.

The school board property does not fall under that designation.

Dust a bother

RESIDENTS OF the 5000 block of Walsh are the latest group to
call for city action to end dust problems, The short stretch connects
Thomas and Pheasant. ;

There are only three homes on the block, but Cor and Jane Braam
pointed out it gets a lot more traffic because drivers use it as a short
cul. .

In dry weather, ‘‘ We cannot keep a window or door open (or) dry
laundry outdoors on the clothesline,’* they pointed out.

They noted the three home owners had agreed the best solution
was to block off Walsh at Pheasant.

They also requested a street light be installed in the middle of the
block because it was so dark.

yoke
ott

coos eT wae,

635-2976

Your Decor —
Terrace Carpet Centre =
~ 3202 Munroe Street at Hwy 16 W, Terrace —

1-800-665-1657_

cee ean e