The Government of the Northwest Territories maintains water monitoring stations across the territory to keep track of water levels and flow rates in areas of potential flood risk for communities.

This information is provided regularly to territorial and regional emergency managers to help understand the status of waterways across the NWT in the lead-up to, and during spring break-up – the highest-risk period for floods in the Northwest Territories.

Technical data

• Water monitoring technical bulletin – May 24, 2022

Current status - NWT

• Ice continues moving on the Mackenzie River near Tsiigehtchic;
• Water levels under ice continue to increase in the Mackenzie River Delta, at normal rates for this time of year;
  • The timing of breakup in the Delta is average relative to the previous 20 years.
  • Water levels at Aklavik are slowly rising and cracks in the ice have been reported.
• Water levels on the Peel River at Fort McPherson may have reached their ice-induced peak after rising on the weekend. 

 

Peel River and Beaufort Delta

 

Above – Mackenzie River at Arctic Red River hydrometric gauge photo from May 24 at 09:00. Photo courtesy of Water Survey of Canada and GNWT.

 

Above – Peel River at Fort McPherson hydrometric gauge photo from May 24 at 10:00. Photo courtesy of Water Survey of Canada and GNWT.