Town officials are declaring the 2025 breakup complete. By May 5, officials reported that all ice had flowed through the Hay River to the Great Slave Lake. The ice cleared through the system without flooding risks during this breakup season.
In previous years, Hay River has experienced extensive flooding during break-up season as the ice melts.
Hay River reported significant breakup activity occurred over 24 hour period prior to May 3. Ice accumulations throughout the main part of the town that spread out to Delancey Estates on May 2 had cleared out of the river system through the West Channel. Degraded ice remained throughout most of the East Channel around Vale Island. There were some small accumulations of intact ice around the Rudd Channel and the West Point First Nations area of the West Channel.
There was no other ice within the Hay River system.
Water levels within the community had dropped significantly. Flood risk levels were minimal.
By about 5 p.m. on May 5, it was official, all ice had flowed through the Hay River to the Great Slave Lake.
“Water levels have decreased significantly throughout the Hay River. There is no flood risk to the community,” Hay River posted on social media.
Officials thanked the Local Emergency Management Organization, Environment and Climate Change, and Municipal and Community Affairs for their assistance with preparedness and monitoring support leading up to the break-up. They also thanked the public for their role in emergency preparedness and communication.
With the breakup complete, summer monitoring and preparing will focus on wildfire related risks.
True North FM reached out to Hay River SAO Glenn Smith for more details and updates about monitoring activities and will share that information when it becomes available.
