The Uplands area of West Quesnel is experiencing impacts from ongoing ground movement. This movement has been occurring over a long period and is very slow, between 13 - 84 mm per year. The effects on buildings and civic infrastructure vary with location but can be significant.
A large, ancient landslide underlies a significant part of West Quesnel. Land movement in the West Quesnel Land Stability Study Area has been occurring over a long period. This movement is linked to annual precipitation and snowmelt conditions. The impacts on buildings and infrastructure are significant.
The area is an attractive, established residential community, including 940 parcels of land, 750 homes, an elementary school and several businesses. The total value of the land, improvements, services and infrastructure in the study area exceeds $100 million; the area is important to the economic and social viability of the City of Quesnel and is home to more than 20% of the City’s population.
Please be aware that the West Quesnel Land Stability Area is only a single hazard area located within Quesnel. A property may not be included in the West Quesnel Land Stability Area while still being within the general Hillside Hazard Area. To see more information about the Hillside Hazard Area, click here.
Multiple studies have confirmed that West Quesnel sits on a large, ancient, slowly moving landslide. Since 2018, our full system of pumps and drains has been removing water from the ground. The groundwater and movement in this area was gradually reducing. However, in recent years of significant rain and snowfall, the ground movement has significantly increased again.
In 2020, our system measured an average of 84 mm of ground movement compared to an average ground movement of 13 mm in the years 2013 to 2019 .In 2020 123 million litres of water was removed by the pumping wells which is the most since the inception of the program. An additional 74 million litres were removed by the horizontal drains. This significant jump in groundwater and ground movement is linked to the high rainfall and snowfall amounts in 2019.
The last public meeting was on Thursday, June 2 at Voyageur Secondary School. Watch the presentation below:
Although the City has made significant investments (over $7.8 million) in the WQLS area, the ground is still moving at a significant rate. The City will continue to monitor land movement in the WQLS area, but there are no planned major investments at this time. The monitoring will require the City to continue to invest in monitoring equipment that is damaged or destroyed due to land movement. In 2022, the City will spend $65,000 to replace damaged monitoring equipment.
The existing de-watering infrastructure must be maintained, including the pumping wells, horizontal fans, and related infrastructure. In 2021 the horizontal fans were rehabilitated and early indications suggest this was successful. The current estimate to maintain the existing equipment requires an annual contribution of $70,000.
Due to the large costs and unpredictable effectiveness of additional pumping equipment, there will be no more horizontal drains or pumping wells installed in the area at this time. If in the future more drains and pumps are recommended and West Quesnel residents agree to a parcel tax to fund more drains and pumps, Council will consider a parcel tax for West Quesnel. No parcel tax is being considered at this point.
The City will continue to focus on the surface drainage in this area.
Building in the WQLS area
The Community Charter authorizes the Building Inspector to require a Geotechnical Report to be supplied with a building permit application on any lands they feel may be susceptible. The City has mapped out most areas which have the potential for movement, however site specific conditions outside these areas may also cause the Building Inspector to request a report.
Most development in the West Quesnel Land Stability Area of the City will require a Geotechnical Report to accompany an application although there are some exceptions. Learn more about Building in the West Quesnel Land Stability Area (WQLSA).
For more information contact the Building Department at 250-992-2111 or buildinginspection@quesnel.ca.
For more information about land hazards visit the Getting Started page.
WQLS News
2022
2016
Expansion of West Quesnel Land Stability Project - June 24, 2016
2015
Quesnel Gets Funding for Phase 2 of the West Quesnel Land Stability Project - July 31, 2015
2014
City of Quesnel hosts an Open House on the West Quesnel Land Stability program - September 25, 2014
2013
West Quesnel Land Stability Program plans progress - May 27, 2013
West Quesnel Land Stability Open House planned - May 14, 2013
2012
More West Quesnel Land Stability dewatering projects underway - July 18, 2012
Another West Quesnel Land Stability project to launch - May 4, 2012
Drilling in West Quesnel Land Stability area underway - April 30, 2012
Open House scheduled - February 27, 2012
Special edition Q-City News in the mail - January 11, 2012
2011
Full-scale dewatering work to begin in Spring 2012 - December 19, 2011
2009
West Quesnel Land Stability Program receives funding - September 25, 2009
2007
West Quesnel trial dewatering program providing valuable data - December 3, 2007
West Quesnel Land Stability Program to initiate trial dewatering program - May 29, 2007
2006
West Quesnel Land Stability Program gets boost - March 23, 2006
2005
Council, MLA meet with Premier about land slippage - September 28, 2005
Campaign launched to raise land slippage awareness - September 23, 2005
Reports and maps
The City of Quesnel, in partnership with its consultants - Urban Systems and AMEC Froster Wheeler, has compiled a vast library of resource materials, scientific findings and technical reports.
File sizes are large and could take time to download. Please contact City Hall at 250-992-2111 to view hard copies.
2021-2023 Annual Monitoring Report [PDF/63.6MB]
2018-2019 Annual Monitoring Report
2017 Annual Monitoring Report (36.6 MB)
2016 Annual Monitoring Report (41.3 MB)
2015 Annual Monitoring Report (44 MB)
2014 Annual Monitoring Report (58.5 MB)
2012-2014 Subsurface Dewatering System
Volume 1 of 2 (20.9 MB)
Volume 2 of 2 (123 MB)
2013 Annual Monitoring Report (29.9 MB)
2012 Annual Monitoring Report (24.4 MB)
2011 Annual Monitoring Report (27.5 MB)
2010 Annual Monitoring Results (22.7 MB)
2009 Annual Monitoring Results (16.4 MB)
2008 Annual Monitoring Results (4.86 MB)
2008 Draft Trial Dewatering (42.7 MB)
2007 Draft Report on Land Stability Study and Recommendations
Volume 1 of 2 (1.31 MB)
Volume 2 of 2 (53.90 MB)
2006 Progress Report and Work Plan (5.50 MB)
2005 On-going Monitoring Report (5.27 MB)
2004 On-going Monitoring Report (5.16 MB)
2004 Pilot Dewatering Well Test (7.84 MB)
2001 Stage 1 Final Report (7.78 MB)
Study Area (2020)
Summary of ground movement (GPS hubs and slop inclinometers)
History of the WQLS Program
2000
Preliminary drilling and installation of instrumentation and GPS system. Large landslide confirmed.
2001-2002
Preliminary analyses and findings require surface and subsurface drainage.
2003-2004
A preliminary pilot test well was installed and resulted in poor results.
2005
Morgenstern completed a detailed investigation.
2006-2007
Detailed geotechnical and hydrogeology studies completed.
2007-2008
The trial dewatering program started and included four pumping wells and two horizontal drains.
2008-2010
The full-scale dewatering design was completed as well as supporting environmental and archeology studies.
2012-2013
The phase I dewatering program included the installation of a subsurface drainage system and ongoing monitoring. 17 pumping wells were monitored for flow and water level and 10 horizontal drain sites were monitored for flow.
2016-2017
The phase II drainage and groundwater monitoring system consists of four pumping wells monitored for flow and water level and four horizontal drain sites monitored for flow. Stormwater mainlines were replaced along Anderson Dr, Abbott Dr, Broughton Ave, Panagrot Ave and Healy St. Roads, and gutters and sidewalks were replaced or added in most of these areas. This phase also included the installation of an outfall area along Anderson Drive. The outfall area filters the stormwater mainline water before it enters Baker Creek.
2018-2020
Monitoring and regular maintenance have been ongoing through this period. Three full years of land movement data have been gathered since the completion of phase II. 47 GPS hubs are surveyed twice annually to provide information on horizontal movement. Historical movements of up to 87 mm per year have been previously observed.
2022 WQLS Newsletter
The last public meeting was on Thursdays, June 2 at Voyageur Secondary School. Watch the presentation below: