This is a morning update on the status of water levels on the Hay River and its tributaries produced by the Environment and Natural Resources hydrology group.

Technical data

• Hay River water monitoring technical bulletin – May 12, 2022 - 9:00 am

Hay River

Current status

• Provisional water levels at the Hay River near Hay River gauge have increased approximately 1.7 m over the past three days.
  • Prior to this, water levels had remained steady for approximately three days as ice held in the river channel due to cool temperatures;
• Ice began to shift yesterday with an ice jam from upstream moving into the downstream ice jam near town. This shift in ice caused water levels to increase rapidly through the Town of Hay River and K’atl’odeeche First Nation;
• Water levels are extremely volatile right now and impacted by ice in the channel. Rapid changes in water levels are possible;
• The upstream gauges on the main stem of the Hay River continue to slowly increase as snowmelt water moves through the system;
• The smaller upstream tributaries to the Hay River (in Alberta) are starting to decrease.
• The water level response on the Hay River and its tributaries to precipitation is very rapid at this time of year due to low basin storage and frozen ground;
• Refer to the Town of Hay River website for the most up-to-date information, as well as webcam images of current conditions.