All,
Here is another FBI photo clearly showing the money site and the river level. The box shows the height above the water and we can use the height of the kneeling guy as a yardstick. I originally thought the money find was 8-9 ft above the water based on my modern day measurement of a 10 degree beach slope but this pic shows otherwise. It looks like it would be pretty easy for the water level to soak the money.
Tom Kaye
This is where you need to be very careful.
Notice the guy walking up the beach leaning forward, as well as the two people way in the background by the structure who appear to be leaning to the left. This clearly shows that the picture is tilted. Unless, of course, people all lean to the east in Vancouver.
Again, a much more reliable way to accurately measure the height of the money find spot above the river at normal levels comes from using the gravel road. The gravel road does not move. The gravel road is still in place today.
On the other hand, the river fluctuates. In fact, the river in February 1980 may have been higher than normal. As I recall one media report from February 1980 mentioned recent high river levels on the Columbia. Also, a review of the weather from February 4, 1980 through February 12, 1980 show that temps in Vancouver ranged from 10 degrees above average to a degree or two above average--this of course could contribute to greater snow melt and higher run-off.
Poll