Town of Hay River, N.W.T., prepares for annual breakup of river

It's annual wait-and-see season in Hay River, N.W.T.

The town is preparing for spring breakup of the Hay River. The ice can jam the waterway and cause flooding with little warning.

Hay River's fire chief, Ross Potter, says water levels on the river are low this year, which is a good sign, but he says they're not letting their guard down.

Kevin Wallington, a spokesmanfor the town's emergency services department, agrees.

"I think we have learned over the last number of years that no matter what the levels are saying we still want to be vigilant, make sure we are doing our due diligence to have all the help that we need in place," he said.

Wallingtonsaid cameras and monitoring equipment are set up along the river to watch for quickly changing water levels. Live updates are also available on the community's webpage.

HayRiver usually lets go by the first week of May.

Potter's team is testing ice thickness and checking on the Chinchaga River in Northern Alberta, saying that once it goes, the Hay River will follow a week or two later.

Water levels were also low on the waterway in 2015, and breakup went smoothly.