Flood watch begins in Hay River

Flood watchers in Hay River, N.W.T., are closely monitoring this spring's breakup on the town's namesake river, worried with what may happen when a surge of melt water from upstream hits a solid pack of ice.

"The river is rising. It has not [moved] any amount yet but we expect the movement will be later on this afternoon or this evening. We'll start to see movement," Red McBryan, a member of the town's flood watch committee, told CBC News on Thursday.

"The river is actually covered with ice. There's very little open water in areas, so it's going to take a little bit of a push to get going."

McBryan said there is still close to 1.5 metres of solid ice on the Hay River through town, as well as on Great Slave Lake, which the river drains into.

In the past, the jamming of thick ice on the water has caused serious floods in the town of about 3,650.

McBryan said he hopes to fly over the river to take a look at water levels upstream.