Hay River (May 10/04) - What a difference a year makes.

Last spring, the breakup of the Hay River meant flooding, evacuation and damaged property in the town's West Channel area and in the Hay River Reserve's Old Village.

This year, ice in the Hay River gradually and meekly disappeared without any flooding at all.

West Channel resident and river monitor Lloyd Brunes says he last saw such an uneventful breakup in the early 1970s. "It doesn't happen often."

Compared to last year, he said the breakups have gone from one extreme to the other.

"It was a non-event, and I'm really pleased with it," said town manager John Pollard.

In fact, Pollard explains the time of the official breakup is usually determined when the river depth reaches 10 feet under the West Channel Bridge.

This year, he says the water likely reached only three to five feet.

There was no big push of water and ice down the river.

By Friday, the West Channel was flowing freely and the East Channel was also open, although some ice remained in spots.

Pollard said the river was close to being completely free of ice.

"There's no danger right now," he said.

Warm spell

It is believed a warm spell at the end of March evaporated snow before it melted and entered the river system.

The river ice was also not as thick as last year -- 17 inches compared to the normal 30 inches.

"We didn't really get the cold weather until after Christmas," Brunes noted.

Neil Sage, another West Channel resident and river monitor, says the breakup was about the easiest he's ever seen.

"There was no water in the system, I guess," Sage said.

"I don't know where it went, but it didn't show up here."