LEO Network

About the LEO Network
The LEO Network is a worldwide network of observers and experts that share their observations of environmental change.
Continue

Observations

High snowpack, water levels put several N.W.T. communities once again at risk of spring flooding
Excessive snowpack and high water levels have communities across the N.W.T. at risk of flooding once again this spring. This includes Hay River, Kátł'odeeche First Nation, Nahanni Butte, Fort Liard, Fort Simpson, Aklavik, Fort Good Hope, Tulita and Jean Marie River First Nation.
Hay River, Northwest Territories, Canada
CBC

After decades of dwindling runs, sockeye salmon return to Yukon fishing village in droves
The number of sockeye returning to Klukshu, Yukon, to spawn began to drop off in the 1990s. This year, hundreds of the bright red fish line the small creek that winds through the village. Neither the Champagne and Aishihik First Nations nor Fisheries and Oceans Canada are sure why the fish have returned after decades of steady decline.
Klukshu, Yukon, Canada
CBC

Hundreds flee homes in northern Alberta due to flooding
Residents in the northern Alberta community of Chateh, west of High Level, could be out of their homes for several months after flooding forced them to evacuate Sunday and Monday. 'This is the worst flooding we ever had,' Dene Tha' First Nations chief says.
Chateh, Alberta
CBC

'It was splashing over the windshield': Woman describes flight from N.W.T. flooding
The couple had been watching water levels rise and fall all day, waiting for them to go down like usual. They'd finally started to relax, when the knock came. They were out of time.
Paradise Gardens, NWT

700 people in Fort Simpson, N.W.T., displaced by flood, mayor says
"There's basically people all over the place," Fort Simpson, N.W.T., Mayor Sean Whelly said on Monday morning. A general evacuation order was issued for the community of about 1,200 at about 3 p.m. on Sunday afternoon.
Fort Simpson, Northwest Territories, Canada

'The people are fine. Our little community is not': Communities deal with flooding along Mackenzie River
CBC News hasn't been able to reach people in Jean Marie River on Saturday, but Paul Simon was able to find cell phone service on a drive and posted photos of the flood waters on social media.
Jean Marie River, Northwest Territories, Canada

N.W.T. government warns Nahanni Butte residents to stay aware amid very high water levels
Spring melt combined with heavy rain over the weekend has driven up water levels near Nahanni Butte, which sits on the banks of the Nahanni River. The community is accessible only by boat or plane in the summer.
Nahanni Butte, Northwest Territories, Canada

Aerial views of Fort Simpson, Jean Marie River after flooding forces evacuations
Floods, caused by spring river break-up on the Liard and Mackenzie Rivers, have forced residents of the N.W.T. communities of Fort Simpson and Jean Marie River to evacuate. CBC's Eden Maury surveyed both communities from the air on May 10.
Fort Simpson, Northwest Territories, Canada

Dirty water may be reason for very strange shortage of fish harvest, says N.W.T. angler
Anglers in Aklavik, N.W.T., are trying to figure out why there was a shortage of fish in local hotspots this year.
Aklavik, Northwest Territories, Canada

This pink salmon swam farther up the Mackenzie River than ever recorded
Two pink salmon have been found near Fort Good Hope, N.W.T., 260 kilometres farther up the Mackenzie River than ever reported.
Tsiigehtchic, Northwest Territories, Canada

Flood warnings downgraded in B.C. as conditions ease but 'extraordinarily high' snowpacks remain | CBC News
The news brings some relief for communities from Quesnel to Williams Lake and south to Cache Creek, but local governments are maintaining numerous evacuation orders and alerts issued since waters began to rise.
Chilcotin Road Area, British Columbia, Canada

Surprise flooding hits several Kelowna neighbourhoods
Debris torrents and blockages, possibly triggered by a rainstorm high in the watershed, caused Mill Creek to overflow, flooding homes and streets.
Kelowna, British Columbia, Canada

Hay River preparing for possible flood during COVID-19 pandemic | CBC News
As breakup season creeps closer, the town of Hay River, N.W.T, is preparing for a possible flood during the novel coronavirus pandemic.
Hay River, Northwest Territories, Canada

Heavy snow and thick ice could mean trouble for Aklavik's spring melt, says local
Spring is still months away in the Northwest Territories, but people are already looking ahead at the spring breakup season. In Aklavik, some see signs that could point to heavy flooding, a lot of snowfall, very high snow piles all over town and thick ice.
Aklavik, Northwest Territories, Canada

Otters spotted in southern Alberta city for first time in about a century
Some welcome new visitors have recently appeared in a southeastern Alberta park — otters.
Medicine Hat, Alberta, Canada

Whitehorse fish ladder sees fewest chinook salmon since 1977
The number of chinook salmon that reached the Whitehorse fish ladder this year hit a 40-year low, and it's not clear why. Just 282 chinook passed through the fish ladder this year, compared to 690 last year. "We did see some large pre-spawn mortality die-offs in a tributary of the Yukon River — the Koyukuk in Alaska. This was for summer chum, and not chinook — but we expect that that higher water temperature also affected the chinook migrating through."
Whitehorse Fish Ladder, Yukon, Canada

Washington governor declares drought emergency in almost half of state
The state's water worries mirror those in B.C. Record-breaking temperatures earlier this month and a below average snowpack have led to a faster snow melt in this province.
Washington, USA

'Brilliant blues' of mountain lakes change as glaciers shrink
Shimmering mountain lakes will start to show new colours in coming years, new research suggests.
Zigadenus Lake, Banff National Park, Alberta, Canada

Whitehorse man warns others after falling through ice
The ice may look solid, but emergency officials are warning Yukoners to be wary. M.A. Chartrand learned that the hard way last week.
Whitehorse, Yukon, Canada

Blue-green algae advisory in effect for Prior Lake on Vancouver Island
A blue-green algae advisory is in effect for Prior Lake in Thetis Lake Regional Park after the toxic blooms were spotted in the water.
Prior Lake, British Columbia, Canada

Inuvik boil water advisory partially due to water plant repairs
A Department of Health news release states the boil water advisory is in relation to high turbidity levels in the river, or muddy water. The turbidity is caused by high water levels.
Inuvik, Northwest Territories, Canada

Residents along Lake Erie spending thousands to protect homes from erosion
An Amherstburg couple has been dealing with shoreline erosion along their waterfront property, and they've invested thousands of dollars in an effort to protect it.
Amherstburg, Ontario, Canada

Lake Erie water level at its all-time high
Lake Erie, the fourth-largest of the five Great Lakes, has broken the water level record set in 1986.
Lake Erie

Fraser River is now so warm it may kill migrating sockeye salmon
Sockeye salmon are migrating up B.C.'s Fraser River right now, but the water is so warm the fish may die before they have the chance to spawn.
Fraser River, British Columbia, Canada

State of emergency declared in Aklavik, N.W.T., as flood waters rise
The remote community of roughly 600 people has been on flood watch for about a week and is the latest of several communities in the Northwest Territories to be affected by historic flooding on the Mackenzie River, caused by the spring breakup.
Aklavik, Northwest Territories, Canada

Race against time: Engineers use Apex River to refill Iqaluit's water supply
Stantec engineering designed the plans for pumping water from the Apex River to Lake Geraldine, the city's reservoir, which has lower water levels than in years past.
Iqaluit, Nunavut, Canada

Blue-green algae confirmed as cause of dogs' sudden deaths
Necropsy results show blue-green algae caused the deaths of three dogs playing near the St. John River more than a week ago.
Fredericton, New Brunswick, Canada

Huge chunks of ice afloat in northern B.C. lake, as glacier retreats
Atlin-based helicopter pilot Jamie Tait says a kilometre-long piece of ice recently broke off the Llewellyn Glacier, at the south end of Atlin Lake.
Atlin, British Columbia, Canada

No damage, just wet roads after flooding
Residents of Jean Marie River can rest easy now, as rising water levels from the Mackenzie River have now receded.
Jean Marie River, Northwest Territories, Canada

N.W.T. waters return to normal after record concentrations of metals found in summer
After a summer that saw high water levels and even higher concentrations of metal in two N.W.T. rivers, water testing is showing a return to normal, and a limited impact on local wildlife.
Hay River, Northwest Territories, Canada

Dropping water level on Kluane Lake causing problems, MLA says
The water level on Kluane Lake began dropping last year after a river of glacial meltwater abruptly changed course, leaving docks and boat ramps high and dry.
Destruction Bay, Yukon Territory, Canada
CBC News

N.W.T. resident spots 'awe-inspiring' landslide that clogged river, creating a new lake
A massive landslide that was first discovered last fall blocked a waterway west of the Mackenzie River. Scientists say it's something that could happen more often in the territory as the climate warms up.
Johnson River, Northwest Territories, Canada
CBC News

Flooded Quebec communities brace for more rain as Trudeau does Gatineau aerial tour
Nicolet, Quebec, Canada
CBC News

Climate change doubles size of lakes in N.W.T. bison sanctuary, reducing habitat
Fort Providence

Boil water advisory issued for 4 South Slave communities
The advisory is just a precaution at this point and was issued because the water appears muddier than usual, the release said. No one has reported getting sick from the water.
CBC North

It took 1 degree of warming to change Arctic lake's ecosystem
Climate change could be altering northern ecosystems more quickly and profoundly than anyone surmised, suggests a study that focused on a large Arctic lake.
Lake Hazen
CBC North

Western Greenland could see more flooding like Saturday's tsunami
A 300-metre wide, 1,000-meter high rock slid into the sea causing the initial wave and more of the rock face is unstable.
Nuugaatsiaq, Qaasuitsup, Greenland

"Total devastation": Dozens of fish killed in North, West Vancouver streams
West Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada

Local rivers possible solution for Iqaluit's imminent water shortage
While it researches long-term solutions, Iqaluit is looking at small fixes, like flexible pipe connectors, to stop pipes from breaking and leaking.
Iqaluit, Nunavut, Canada

Climate change and low water sinks popular Yukon fishing derby
The Kluane Lake Fishing Derby won't happen this Canada Day weekend, because organizers say it's become too hard to launch a boat. The lake's water level has dropped significantly, since a retreating glacier stopped feeding the lake with melt water.
Kluane Lake, Yukon Territory, Canada

Ottawa River full of untreated sewage during May flooding
Heavy rain and winter runoff in the month of May has affected more than people's homes along the Ottawa River. The river itself, often polluted with sewage overflow after a day or two of heavy rain, has had to absorb more than 600-million litres over the past week alone.
Ottawa, Ontario, Canada

Algae bloom prompts warning to avoid part of Okanagan Lake
The Okanagan Indian Band is advising residents to not enter or consume water from the north arm of Okanagan Lake until further notice due to a toxic algae bloom.
Vernon, British Columbia, Canada

City of Ottawa warns flood victims of contamination risk
The City of Ottawa has advised residents affected by flooding to throw out many household items that have come into contact with flood water.

Kelowna mayor warns residents to prepare for unprecedented flooding tonight
'As a community, we need to come together and look after each other,' mayor says
Kelowna, British Columbia, Canada

Algae bloom closes part of Lake Micmac to people, dogs
Algae blooms may produce toxins that can cause mild to severe health problems, says Cameron Deacoff, an environmental performance officer with the municipality.
Lake Micmac, Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada

Yukon Energy wants to lower Marsh Lake to reduce summer flood risk
Yukon Energy is again asking for permission this year to lower the level of Marsh Lake, in anticipation of possible flooding this summer.
Marsh Lake, Yukon, Canada

Norman Wells and Tulita, N.W.T., won't get barge deliveries this year
The N.W.T.'s Marine Transportation Services has announced it is cancelling barges to Norman Wells and Tulita due to low water levels.
Norman Wells, Northwest Territories, Canada

Weather in the Beaufort Delta Just Like Spring
Freda Alunik says it looks 'just like spring' at her camp near the Mackenzie River.
Mackenzie River, Northwest Territory, Canada

Yukon Southern Lakes residents in 'emergency mode' as water levels rise
Residents in Yukon's Southern Lakes region are bracing for the worst as water levels continue to creep dangerously high.
Marsh Lake, Yukon, Canada

North Saskatchewan River Turns Blue
The river, which starts at the Saskatchewan Glacier in the Columbia Icefields and flows through to central Saskatchewan, is usually murky brown by the time it reaches Edmonton in summer. In recent weeks, however, the water has taken on the hues of Alberta's glacial lakes, thanks to dry, hot weather combined with maintenance at a major dam.
North Saskatchewan River, Alberta, Canada

Highway 1 near N.W.T.-Alberta border down to 1 lane after road floods
A section of Highway 1 just north of the Northwest Territories-Alberta border is reduced to one lane after it was excavated to deal with excess water. A 3.5-metre wide trench was dug across the road to assist with drainage of the flooded area, according to an email from the Department of Infrastructure on Tuesday.
Falher, Alberta, Canada

Fort McPherson, N.W.T., declares emergency as flooding threatens access to drinking water
The hamlet said it's declaring a state of emergency because flooding from the Peel River cut off access to the community's airport, and because access to fresh water could be "inaccessible in the imminent future."
Fort McPherson, Northwest Territories, Canada

As Fort Simpson, N.W.T., ferry crossing opens for the season, low water levels worry mayor
Sean Whelly the mayor of Fort Simpson is worried that low water levels could impact the ferry’s ability to operate, potentially leaving the community isolated in the summer months.The water levels are the lowest he's ever seen at this time of year.
Fort Simpson, Northwest Territories, Canada

B.C.'s Cowichan River in danger of drying up
Duncan, British Columbia, Canada

Potentially toxic algae blooms hit Interior B.C. lakes
Some residents in B.C.'s Central Interior are being told to avoid drinking or bathing in their tap water following an outbreak of potentially toxic algae blooms.
Tashick Lake, Vanderhoof, BC

Support

Observation Template