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

• NWT Water Monitoring Bulletin – January 17, 2025

Current Status:

• Winter water levels and flow rates remain very low across most of the NWT. Great Slave Lake water level is currently at its second-lowest on record for this time of year, second only to the level from this time last year, which was the lowest ever recorded.
  • Flow rates on the Slave River are well below average and are similar to those recorded this time last year.
  • Flow rates on the Hay River are well below average for this time of year.
  • Flow rates on the Liard River are at their lowest recorded value for this time of year.
  • Flow rates at most locations along the Mackenzie River are below average for this time of year.
  • Great Bear Lake remains at its lowest water level recorded for this time of year and flow rates on the Great Bear River are well below normal for this time of year.
  • Exceptions to low water levels and flows include:
    • Arctic Red River
      • Flow rates on the Arctic Red River are at their highest recorded value for this time of year.
    • Peel River Flow rates on the Peel River are approximately average for this time of year.
    • South Nahanni River
      • South Nahanni River water level is approximately average for this time of year.
    • Some smaller rivers in the Great Slave Lake basin
• Low water levels continue to be the result of extreme drought conditions that began in the summer of 2022 and have persisted through 2023 and 2024.
• December precipitation across the NWT was generally near or above average, except Inuvik, which received below average precipitation.
• December temperatures across the NWT were warmer than average for all communities except Inuvik and Norman Wells, where temperatures were approximately average.
• Water levels on Great Slave Lake and the Mackenzie River are strongly influenced by precipitation received in northern British Columbia, Alberta, Saskatchewan, and southern NWT.
  • Precipitation in the Great Slave Lake basin in northern British Columbia and Alberta has been approximately average this winter (October 1st to present), with some variability between communities.
    • Located near the headwaters of the Peace River, the community of Mackenzie, British Columbia has received record high cumulative precipitation this winter.
      • This region (the mountainous headwaters of the Peace River) usually receives the highest amount of precipitation in the basin and is therefore an important contributor to water levels on Great Slave Lake and the Mackenzie River.
  • Climate forecasts from ECCC for the next three months (January, February, March) indicate near normal precipitation for most of the NWT and the Mackenzie River basin, with some areas in the southern portion of the basin showing above normal precipitation.