The debris torrent started 150 metres downslope of a switchback at 19 km of a branch of the Rialto Creek Forest Service Road. The crown of the debris torrent was at an elevation of 1240 metres. There was an overland water flow running from a drainage ditch along the top of a switchback to the crown of the debris torrent.

The debris torrent ran over an elevation change of 800 metres (1240 metres elevation to 438 metres elevation) and a horizontal map distance of 2100 metres, for approximately a 2250 metre slope distance. The torrent ran approximately 40 metre wide along most of its path. At approximately 18 km on the Rialto Creek road an area of new road construction began which I identified as the start of CP 35-5. This road appears to be less than 1 year old. The final 100 metres of this road was just roughed in and non drivable. There was no sign of waterbarring or any other type of seasonal deactivation on this road for the winter and spring runoff. There was signs of recent clearcut activity along the beginning of this road. I followed this road for approximately 2 km to its end. It switchbacked 4 times in this distance across the main creek as well as its tributaries. There was much evidence of the road cut intercepting underground drainage and concentrating the water in drainage ditches. At a switchback at 19 km. there was evidence that a culvert had been dug out in the last week and that two new culverts had been installed, and the road had significant repairs. There was also evidence of heavy water flow down the drainage ditch as well as down the road surface in this area. In the ditch to the east of the culverts water was collected and a stream was being formed that ran down the ditch and off the end of the switchback and flowed overland downslope in a nondefined channel. We followed this overland flow for approximately 150 metres, when we came to the start zone of the debris torrent. This was at an elevation of 1240 m. The start zone was approximately 5m wide on a 45% slope. The bed material was weathered glacial till overlaying an impermeable layer of non weathered glacial till. The torrent channel grew to a width of approximately 10 metres, which it maintained for the 100 metre distance that we walked down. The Ministry of Forests has fined Kalesnikoff Lumber Co. $7500 for Forest Practices Code violations responsible for the start of this slide. This does not include the Ministry of Forests costs for the investigation. A letter from the Ministry of Transportation & Highwyas states that they spent $73,000 repairing the highway and they are investigating whether to try recover costs. These figures do not represent costs for damages to power lines and telephone lines.

"1. There has been a contravention of Section 62(1) of the Act. Specially road construction under Road Permit R03225 was not constructed in accordance with the Act, the regulations and standards. 2. There has been a contravention of Sections 11(1)(a) and 12(1) (a)(b)(c) (BC Reg. 172/95). Specially, road construction under R03225 on Cutting Permit 35, Block 5 was done contrary to these provisions. Drainage systems were not installed concurrent with subgrade construction in a sufficient manner to accommodate surface and subsurface drainage necessary to maintain natural drainage patterns. This resulted in water being directed onto potentially unstable slopes or soil material."

"Significant environmental damage has occurred. The slide measures some 2000 m long and deposited approximately 10,000 - 11,000 m3 of materials at the base of the slope on the Broadwater Road and into Arrow Lake. The majority of the immediate slide area is now exposed bedrock with most-if-not-all soils and organic materials stripped off. This area will remain a visible scar of unproductive land for some time into the future. Public access to the Deer Park area was cut off for several days and required significant cleanup to reestablish. The licensee cooperated for the most part during the investigation process however, some concerns were noted. The licensee delayed providing Apex Geosciences follow-up report on the slide to District Compliance and Enforcement staff immediately upon request. In reviewing the evidence I find no disagreement with the fact that both the deactivation of CP22-2 and the heavy rainfall event leading up to the slide event increased peak flows and were a contributing factor. However on the balance of probabilities I find that the main reason the slide occurred was that this increased flow was intercepted by the newly constructed road grade and completely diverted from natural drainage channels. This diverted stream was channeled onto saturated and unstable terrain resulting in the slide. Through the course of my review of the facts in this case and by Kalesnikoff's own admission there was a definite breakdown in communications between planning staff and road construction crews. Its important to note that the appropriate steps were followed by the licensee starting with identification of the need to complete a detailed drainage plan for the area to ensuring prescriptions and plans verified the requirement right down to marking in the field. Unfortunately when it came down to implementing the plan information was not communicated to the degree necessary."