Two and a half months after 20-year-old Brandy Nessel was swept away in the Stamp River on July 5, her father and a swiftwater rescue expert believe her body is pinned under the Stamp Falls, according to interviews and statements from family and local authorities. Chuck Nessel and rescue expert Jamie Turko are calling for a temporary river diversion to recover her remains, though the operation requires sign-offs from multiple government agencies and utilities.
The July 5 Disappearance at Stamp River Provincial Park
Brandy had moved to Port Alberni from Campbell River a month and a half prior with her boyfriend, Colin. On July 5, a Sunday evening, she went to the Stamp River for the first time alongside Colin and a couple of girlfriends, according to Chuck Nessel. Barefoot and in a swimsuit, Brandy was wading through the water from a shady area to reach a sunny spot when she lost her footing and was swept away.
Chuck Nessel was on Quadra Island returning from his cabin when his cell service returned, revealing frantic calls from his son Mitchell. Mitchell sent his father the location, and Chuck Nessel picked up his close family friend, Jamie Turko—a swiftwater rescue expert with 30 years of experience—en route to Stamp River Provincial Park, arriving around 11 p.m.
Emergency responders arrived within an hour and a half of the disappearance, including the Alberni Valley Rescue Squad, Arrowsmith Search and Rescue, and the RCMP dive team. Helicopters canvassed the river and divers searched the bottom, but after four days, the Alberni Valley Rescue Squad paused their efforts.
Search Efforts and the Proposed River Diversion Plan
Turko and Nessel believe Brandy went over the cascading waterfalls known as Stamp Falls, which drop approximately seven metres according to a world waterfall database. Turko stated that security camera footage mounted within about four metres of the falls shows Brandy being carried toward the mouth of the falls.
Because no remains have been found in the calmer pools below or where the river meets the ocean, Turko thinks Brandy is trapped in an undercut beneath the second section of the waterfalls, where the water splits around a large rock. Turko is confident that adding about five to eight large sandbags to the existing sandbags used to divert water for the fish ladder on the left side could push enough flow away to allow divers to recover her body in less than a day.
Regulatory Approvals and Next Steps for the Family
Executing the recovery plan requires approvals from a variety of agencies and government departments, according to Chuck Nessel. These include the RCMP, B.C. Hydro, the Department of Fisheries and Oceans, B.C. Parks, and local First Nations.
Ted Olynyk, media spokesman for B.C. Hydro, stated that a dam on the Ash River controls about 20 per cent of the Stamp River’s flow, though its influence at the falls is limited due to distance. While B.C. Hydro has been contacted by the RCMP, Olynyk noted they have not yet received a formal request, and the river is currently operating at minimum flow due to drought conditions. However, Olynyk added, “if we had a formal request, we would do whatever we could to accommodate.”
B.C. Parks representative Nicole Rogers stated that any temporary dam or diversion within a provincial park requires a park use permit under the Park Act, alongside authorizations from other water management, dam safety, fisheries, and environmental protection agencies. B.C. Parks has not yet received a proposal.
Ben Stanford, regional director of communications for the Pacific region for Fisheries and Oceans Canada, stated that the feasibility or safety of a recovery operation is outside their jurisdiction. The B.C. RCMP stated that a river diversion is beyond its scope, but the agency would continue to support recovery efforts if another agency initiates the project.
Melissa Bigmore, communications liaison for the Tseshaht First Nation, stated the Nation has not been approached regarding Stamp River water flows and cannot comment without more information. Chuck Nessel noted that without a body or final closure, he and his family are finding it difficult to move forward in their grief.