News Type:
Water monitoring bulletin
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
Current Status:
- This report is our Monthly Water Monitoring Bulletin, which provides regular updates on water levels and precipitation in the NWT;
- Water levels and flow rates are very low across most of the NWT.
- Great Slave Lake water level is currently well below average and lower than the level observed at this time last year, which was also below average.
- Slave River water level is below average for this time of year.
- Hay River water level is well below average for this time of year.
- Liard River water level is below average for this time of year.
- Mackenzie River water level, recorded at several stations along the river, is well below average for this time of year.
- Great Bear Lake remains at its lowest water level for this time of year and is similar to the level recorded at this time last year.
- Peel River is average for this time of year.
- Notable exceptions to low water levels include the South Nahanni River (well above average) and the Coppermine River (average)
- Some smaller rivers in the Great Slave Lake basin are closer to normal, including the Lockhart River (average), Hoarfrost River (above average), Taltson River (average)
- Water level sensors may be affected by ice during this time of year, and readings should be interpreted with caution.
- Low water levels are the result of extreme drought conditions that began in the summer of 2022 and have persisted through 2023, 2024 and 2025. Water levels have shown limited recovery since 2022.
- February temperatures were generally average across the NWT, with below-average temperatures observed in Yellowknife and Norman Wells. Precipitation was mostly average to above average, with above-average precipitation recorded in Fort Smith, Yellowknife, and Norman Wells
- Water levels on the Slave River, Great Slave Lake and the Mackenzie River this coming spring/summer will be impacted by snowpack volumes and spring rainfall amounts in northern Alberta and British Columbia.
- Snow water equivalent (SWE) is above normal across much of the western and southern Mackenzie River Basin, particularly in the headwaters of the Slave, Liard, and Hay Rivers in northern Alberta and British Columbia