Monday, April 27, 2026
The government of the Northwest Territories has released its 2026 Spring Water Outlook, which gives an early assessment of water levels and flood risk as spring melt begins.
The outlook, prepared by the Department of Environment and Climate Change (ECC), indicates that water levels across much of the Northwest Territories are currently lower than normal following several years of warm, dry conditions, a Government of the Northwest Territories release said.
Great Slave Lake and Great Bear Lake remain at low levels, continuing a trend observed over the past several years, the release added.
“While water levels remain low in many parts of the Northwest Territories, higher-than-normal snowpack in key southern basins could result in near-normal spring flows. Flood risk in the NWT is always closely tied to weather conditions during break-up, and ice jams can occur even in years with lower water levels. We encourage residents, especially those in flood-prone communities, to stay informed and be prepared,” NWT minister of environment and climate change Jay Macdonald said.
Snowpack across the territory is generally near normal overall; it is higher than normal in southern and western basins and lower than normal in parts of the North Slave and Sahtu regions, the release said.
Communities identified as more susceptible to flooding include:
- Hay River and Kátł’odeeche First Nation
- Fort Liard, Fort Simpson, Jean Marie River, and Nahanni Butte
- Tulita and Fort Good Hope
- Fort McPherson and Aklavik
ECC will continue to monitor conditions closely throughout the spring and provide regular updates on water levels, river ice conditions, and break-up progression, the release said.
