Hay River issues 'voluntary' evacuation order for Vale Island

Vale Island was evacuated Monday evening because of the threat of flooding from the breakup of the Hay River.

The Town of Hay River issued an evacuation order at 9 p.m. on Monday.

Deputy Mayor Robert Bouchard said the evacuation of Vale Island is voluntary.

"There's some people that are there and have been there for a long time," he said. "They don't leave. They feel like they're prepared or they feel like they're in a high part of the island. Typically, we ask everybody to leave, if possible."

He explained the evacuation order was issued because a large amount of water was heading towards Hay River, indicated by a reading of over 1,200 cubic metres of water a second going over Alexandra Falls south of Enterprise.

Bouchard noted anything over a thousand cubic metres a second going over Alexandra Falls is cause for concern.

"We know that we have large volumes of water coming, so we're very concerned," he said, speaking outside a registration centre for evacuees on Monday evening.

"And we have a bunch of ice in the Hay River area from Pine Point Bridge all the way in," he said. "So with that kind of volume we could have issues overnight. Obviously with Covid issues and stuff like that we wanted to be able to pull the trigger sooner than later, and especially being able to evacuate in the light."

The Hub could not determine late Monday and into the early hours of Tuesday whether there was actually any flooding on Vale Island. From a vantage point in New Town, the ice could sometimes be seen moving in the river.

Well after midnight, people in Hay River and on the Hay River Reserve watched the river, with their vehicles' lights shining onto the ice.

Bouchard said town council and Ross Potter, the director of protective services, met Monday evening and decided it was the time to call an evacuation as opposed to in the middle of the night.

The deputy mayor noted that a lot of ice had moved through the West Channel and into Great Slave Lake Sunday.

"So we thought it was going to keep chugging through, but it stopped early evening yesterday (Sunday) and then we had a little push at midnight," he said. "And then today (Monday) it just sat there and we seen the numbers climbing at the falls."

Evacuated residents were required to register in person at the Hay River Community Centre or by telephone. Residents could also call for assistance in evacuating.

Accommodations were assigned at Hay River hotels, at an RV park set up in the parking lot of the community centre and at hotels in Yellowknife.

There is no cost for the accommodations when booked through the registration centre, and transportation to Yellowknife could be provided.

Brenda Bouvier is one of the evacuees being provided a hotel room in the capital.

"They're reimbursing the fuel and giving us food and a room and everything," she said outside the evacuee registration centre Monday night.

Bouvier, who lives on 104 Street in Old Town, believes her property will be OK in case of flooding.

"I know it will be," she said, explaining it is not that close to the shoreline. She added she's not concerned about her possessions.

"It's just belongings," she said. "It doesn't mean anything. Everybody is safe. As long as all the people are safe."

West Channel resident Don Ross, who is enduring his third evacuation, said there's no point in worrying because it's "no use."

Karen Felker is "kind of worried." Her property on 101 Street in Old Town was flooded in 2008.

"There's a lot of solid ice that's still coming down and a lot of water coming over the falls," she said. "That's what bothers me more than anything."

The Covid-19 pandemic and the social distancing rules NWT public health officials have imposed to curb its spread were factored into the town's evacuation plan.

There are an more than 450 people living in 190 households Vale Island according to estimates.

Ice in the West Channel and East Channel was stationary for most of the day on Monday, but filled the river.

However, the ice was certainly moving upstream and in the West Channel Sunday, when hundreds of people made their way to the riverbanks to marvel at the natural phenomenon.

"It was flying by," Micayla Gammon said while observing the breakup from Bob McMeekin Chamber Park. "It was really cool watching it."

Earlier on Sunday in Paradise Valley, an agricultural/residential area about 25 kilometres south of downtown Hay River, Jacqui Colwell watched the breakup in front of her home.

She said compared to last year, the breakup was "definitely" more dramatic.

The Hay River breaks up in late April or early May each year.

The last significant flooding on Vale Island was during spring breakup in 2008.