Hay River (Apr 25/05) - For 21 years, Dorothy Bishop has watched the Hay River at break-up, always mindful that any given spring may herald a new flood.

The West Channel resident calls it the "nervous" time. It's something she never gets used to.

Memories of past floods are strong in the minds of Hay River residents as they anxiously await spring break up. Pictured here, Lloyd Brunes wades through flood waters near the West Channel of the Hay River after it flooded in 2003. - NNSL file photo

"Year to year we don't know what's going to happen," Bishop said. "It's a guessing game."

She said the only thing she and other residents can do is protect their property as best they can.

Just after she moved to the West Channel, the area was hit with the big flood of 1985. She recalls her house was flooded with water up to her waist.

Bishop is also concerned about her disabled husband, who uses a wheelchair. He will be moved out of the West Channel two or three days ahead of any possible flooding.

A public meeting on the possibility of flooding was held April 20 on Vale Island.

About 10 people turned out to hear an update from Councillor Robert Bouchard, town council's liaison to the Emergency Measures Organization.

"Basically everyone is prepared and on standby," Bouchard said.

"All we can do is be prepared," he added. "We can't stop the river."

Bouchard said, as in years past, the river is being monitored and people will be given as much notice as possible to protect themselves and their property.

There are so many factors involved in whether or not the river will flood that it is impossible to predict.

The thickness of the ice is normal at 20-26 inches, as of last week. However, the volume of ice is less than average, because the river was lower than usual when it froze over.

"Even with a smaller volume of ice, if it jams up we can still have a situation," Bouchard said.

Last year's break-up was relatively uneventful. Bouchard said warm river water basically chewed its way through the ice and into Great Slave Lake.

However, two years ago, a flood forced the evacuation of the West Channel and damaged some property in the area.

Fast snow melt

Todd Pittman, the public works director with the Town of Hay River, says it has been an above-average year for snowfall in northern Alberta.

That's the beginning of the 1,562-km-long drainage area that ends when the Hay River empties into Great Slave Lake.

Speaking on April 21, Pittman said the snow melt has also been very fast this year.

"We haven't seen any unusual run-off activity down south," he said. "The rivers don't seem exceedingly high."

However, Pittman cautioned there is no way of knowing what that means for Hay River, because there are so many factors involved.

Late last week, the Hay River was clear just south of Alexandra Falls.