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 – October 7, 2024

Current Status:

• Heading into the winter season, water levels and flow rates remain very low across most of the NWT and in many instances are similar to those recorded last year at this time. Great Slave Lake remains at its lowest water level recorded for this time of year and is equivalent to the level recorded at this time last year.
• Flow rates on the Slave River are below average for this time of year and are similar to those recorded at 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 below average for this time of year.
• Flow rates at most locations along the Mackenzie River are well below average for this time of year.
• Flow rates at the outlet of Great Bear Lake are well below average for this time of year.
• Some notable exceptions to low water levels and flow rates are in the Beaufort Delta region and lakes and rivers northeast of Great Slave Lake. Specific examples include:
  • Arctic Red River
  • Lockhart River
  • Coppermine River
• 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.
• October precipitation across the NWT was either below average or well below average for all communities except for Yellowknife and Fort Smith, which both received approximately average precipitation.
• October temperatures across the NWT were generally above average. Fort Simpson, Yellowknife and Hay River temperatures were approximately average, Fort Smith and Norman Wells temperatures were warmer than average, and Inuvik temperatures were much warmer than average.
• Water levels on Great Slave Lake and the Mackenzie River are influenced by precipitation received in northern British Columbia, Alberta, Saskatchewan, and southern NWT.
  • Precipitation in the Mackenzie River basin in northern BC and AB has been approximately average so far this fall, with some variability between communities.
    • Located near the headwaters of the Peace River, Mackenzie, BC has received well above average precipitation in September and October.
  • As of August 25, 2024, BC Hydro started filling the Site C reservoir. The process now about 95% complete.
    • The filling of Site C is projected to have a relatively minor impact on our water levels compared to the effects of our current drought which caused water levels to drop significantly during the summer of 2023.
• Climate forecasts from Environment and Climate Change Canada for the next three months (Nov, Dec, Jan) indicate near to above normal precipitation for most of the NWT.