The lower Fraser River is expected to stay high until Thursday but the threat of a serious flood is quickly receding.

The river peaked just above six metres on the Mission gauge over the weekend and is now expected to hover just below that level until this (Thursday) morning before dropping.

Provincial government officials now say there’s not enough snow left in the Fraser watershed to produce another higher peak later this month.

The major flood risk has diminished due to the snow, said Tony Cheong, the environment ministry’s forecasting manager.

He said the only thing that would now push the Fraser back up to dangerously high levels is a major rainstorm that soaks most of the province.

But so far, the weather continues to cooperate, with cool, unsettled conditions and some showers expected through the week.

Many flood-threatened homeowners in the Lower Mainland began to breathe easier last week as the River Forecast Centre gradually stepped down its earlier predictions of a peak of around 7.5 metres.

Even that level wouldn’t have overtopped river dikes “ as long as they held but it could have been catastrophic for unprotected homes outside the dikes.

While the threat is fading, officials are cautioning those residents not to let their guard down yet.

I wouldn’t be suggesting anybody remove their sandbagging, environment ministry spokesman Brian Symonds said. Until the water levels drop substantially there’s always a risk.

TransLink has restricted heavy trucks from the Albion ferry, but the river never reached a high enough level to force a complete shutdown. Likewise, West Coast Express service continued as scheduled Monday.

Province-wide there were 1,100 residents still on evacuation alert as of Monday.

On Barnston Island, one of the threatened areas, resident John Russell said he was impressed how multiple agencies worked together on emergency dike reinforcements and other preparations.

It was a great rehearsal I think, he said.

Russell would now like to see the near-panic on the Fraser this spring turn to committed action to raise dikes to newly determined standards.

A bit of work every year instead of a big flurry would be better, he said. But the year we have snow in the mountains seems to be the way they do it.

It’s estimated raising dikes at least one metre in much of the Lower Mainland would cost in the hundreds of millions of dollars.