Coffee Creek, a major tributary to Kootenay Lake between Nelson and Kaslo, swollen by rainfall, was buried under a debris torrent some time during the evening of November 12, 1999. This debris torrent dumped an estimated 100,000 cubic meters of mud, rock, and logging debris into the channels of Coffee Creek and transformed this creek into a raging torrent that cut new channels, devoured trees, damaged bridges, destroyed forest service roads, and Highway #31. Repair costs are estimated to be as high as $500,000 to get the roads and bridges usable again.

Our investigation found that two debris torrents started on skid trails in a thirty year old clearcut, perched on steep slopes above Coffee Creek. The outer edge of these skid trails became saturated with water to the point of failure and these torrents blew down the slope, scalping the new forest to bedrock. These torrents joined together and obliterated the Coffee Creek Road for a width of 450 ft and dumped its debris into the channel Coffee Creek. A third debris torrent that ran for 70 metres parallel to these two was also found on this slope.

These three debris torrents were among a total of 11 documented by BC Forest Watch in Coffee Creek that ran during this period. Ten of these debris torrents came from clearcuts and or logging roads, with 3 of these coming from logging activities conducted since the Forest Practices Code came into effect. One debris torrent started on slopes unaltered by clearcutting or logging roads. These debris torrents have occurred despite many tens of thousands of dollars spent by Forest Renewal BC to repair this drainage from past logging activities.

The two slides that ran into Coffee Creek. Photos taken from a clearcut on the north side of the creek. The slides started at 1370m elevation and ran a slope distance of 550m. The area is a thirty year old clearcut that is well regenerated.