Paul Bickford
Northern News Services

Yellowknife (Apr 05/04) - Hay River is hoping last spring's flooding won't be back for a return engagement.

But, as with every year, it's impossible to know what break-up will bring.

Veteran river-watcher Red McBryan simply says it's "foolish" to make predictions.

Instead, McBryan does surveys and watches the river during break-up, and takes things as they come.

In late April last year, flooding forced people from their homes in the hard-hit West Channel area.

John Ross suffered the most severe damage to his home of any West Channel resident. So far, he has spent about $29,000 on repairs. His home suffered structural damage. Items were also damaged in his garage, even though he had elevated them as a precaution.

"You think you are high enough, but are you ever?" he says.

While noting he prepares every year for a flood, Ross says he is even wiser this year.

"Everything I have is well above flood level," he says, noting some of his belongings, like snowmobiles, will be stored off Vale Island.

Ross, who is still bitter the GNWT didn't compensate flood victims, says each year he prepares as much as possible and hopes for the best.

Town ready

Councillor Robert Bouchard says the Town of Hay River is ready for whatever happens this year.

Bouchard, council's liaison to the Emergency Measures Organization, says the town prepares for any situation. "We try to be the old Boy Scouts. That's all we can really do."

The councillor notes numerous factors affect whether there will be flooding -- temperatures, ice thickness, snow cover and wind, to name a few. The river ice is not as thick as last year and the water level is a little lower.

Last fall, council allocated $55,000 for 14 flood mitigation measures. Improvements included work on culverts and storm sewers, construction of a berm around a liftstation, and improving and extending the Vale Island berm, which offers extra protection to West Channel and the airport.

Snow survey

On March 11, McBryan surveyed snow at seven sites from the Alberta border to west of High Level. He found 17 per cent more snow than last year, which translates into about one more inch of water.

However, that is not an indication there will be high water this year, he cautions. "It's just an indication we're going to get more water from the snow we've got."

Closer to break-up, McBryan and a team of monitors will watch the Hay River at seven local sites.

When the Chinchaga River breaks, about 100 km west of High Level, McBryan will take to the air to monitor the Hay River.

He says a "cold break-up" -- periods of warm weather followed by cold -- means a lower chance of flooding. "Those are the kind of break-ups that are very quiet."

McBryan will provide an update on river conditions at tonight's meeting of Hay River Town Council.