YELLOWKNIFE - It's that nervous time of year again for people living on flood plains in the NWT.

Many communities are sitting next to ice-covered rivers - the Hay, the Liard and the Mackenzie - which will break up in the coming weeks and may flood as water and ice fight to move through.

W.R. "Red" McBryan, a veteran river-watcher in Hay River, measures the snow cover on the river's West Channel on April 10. - Paul Bickford/NNSL photo

This year in Hay River, where flooding covered low-lying areas of two residential streets last spring, the concern largely centres on a higher than usual amount of snow.

Veteran river-watcher W.R. "Red" McBryan and Mayor John Pollard conducted a snow survey on April 19 in the watershed feeding the Hay River.

They went 200 miles to the south into northern Alberta, including 30 miles west of the Chinchaga River to Sousa Creek.

"I stepped out of my truck into the bush and I was right up to my waist in snow," McBryan said, noting the snow was 28 inches deep, compared to the normal 18-22 inches.

McBryan, an 87-year-old who has monitored the Hay River since 1952, said that's the most snow he has seen in 10 years.

According to Alberta Environment, the snowfall this past winter in the northwest corner of the province was 30 per cent above normal.

McBryan said, with that much snow, there will be a heavy flow of water coming down the Hay River to Great Slave Lake.

However, he said it is "way too early" to know if there will be a flood in Hay River or on the Hay River Reserve this spring.

"We don't know yet what the picture will be," he said.

Things could change between now and the usual break-up time in Hay River, between April 26 and May 6. There could be more snowfall or rain. Temperatures could rise, meaning a fast break-up, or the weather could be cold, meaning a slower break-up and less chance of flooding.

The water content of the snow is normal.

And, the ice thickness on the Hay River is also about normal, ranging from 30 to 46 inches.

Pollard said he is always concerned about the potential for floods, but he does not want to alarm people.

"We're certainly paying it an awful lot of attention this year," he said.

Other communities in potential spring break-up flood areas are Aklavik, Fort Good Hope, Fort Liard, Fort McPherson, Fort Simpson, Inuvik, Nahanni Butte and Tsiigehtchic.

In Aklavik last year, flooding of the Mackenzie River's Peel Channel caused about $4 million in damages.

"Every year is a concern," said Dean Arey, the foreman with the Hamlet of Aklavik.

"We always prepare for the worst."

Arey said it is too early to tell if there will be flooding this spring, but he notes there is much less snow in the area this year than last spring.

"It's a wait and see thing," he said, noting the ice usually goes out around late May or early June.

Another notable flood occurred in Fort Good Hope in 2005, causing over $1 million in damages. Other floods in Nahanni Butte (2005), Fort Simpson (2006) and Tsiigehtchic (2006) caused no damage.

Kevin Rowe, the community emergency management co-ordinator with the Department of Municipal and Community Affairs, also said it is too early to tell what the flood situation will be this year.

However, he noted the spring is progressing well with a steady melt of the snow pack in the NWT and northern Alberta.

"From all current indications, I am expecting this year's spring to be fairly routine, with the possibility of some minor overland flooding in low-lying areas," he said, although he added that can quickly change with a rapid warm-up increasing the volume of water flow.

Rowe advised everyone to be prepared. "As in any spring melt, we advise both residents and the community governments to monitor the local water situation and be prepared to relocate items to higher ground if the situation warrants."