Spring breakup causes fish to fly on Hay River

As the ice begins to crack and shifton waterways across the Northwest Territories, the breakup has come to an end fortheHay River but not before causing an unusual sight for onelocal resident.

DougLamalicelives on theK'atl'odeechereserve and said as the water pushed against the ice, he saw fishshootthrough cracks over half a metre into the air.

"They blew right out of the ice and landed on top of the ice. So wherever there was a crack in the ice, fish came flying right out of there," said Lamalice.

The 56-year-old said it was the first time he'sever seen anything like it, with at least 20 fish and many more small suckers stranded on the ice. He said it madea great feast for local birds who swooped down to snatch the fishup.

"They were cleaning up those fish like crazy and there were tons of them," he said.

Hay River breakup had 'fairly good year'

According toRoss Potter, director of Protective Servicesfor the Town ofHay Riverwho monitored the breakup over the weekend, itwas finished by Sunday night after 9:00 p.m.

The first break through was on May 4 on the river's west channel and two days laterice went out in the centre channel,Potter said.

"All of the water was flowing to the west, which is what we like to see," he said.

If the breakup had flowed towardthe east channel, it could have posed a risk to nearby residents. In previous years it hasjammed the waterway and caused flooding, although the last time homes had to be evacuated was in 2009.

Potter said this year's breakup was comparable to the lastthree years. Because the water table was really low in the fall, he expected it would also be low during the breakup this spring.

"This year was a fairly good year. We did see a little bit of some levels that are a little bit high but they managed to deal with themselves through the west channel," he said.

Monitoring operations are now being shut down, Potter said, but they will still be keeping an eye on the lake shore.

Headded that monitoring the breakup wasn't a one man job and he's thankful for the help of community volunteers.

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Former chief says there's changes over years

As ice from the Hay River moves along the riverbank towardGreat Slave Lake, it sets upbreakup along the Mackenzie River.

JoachimBonnetrouge, former chief of theDehGahGotieDenein Fort Providence, said he's seen changes with the Mackenzie breakup over the years.

The freeze up in the fall, early winter is really different.-JoachimBonnetrouge, former chief

When he was younger, he said the ice began going out around May 25 and the winters seemed longer and colder. He also said he remembers the icebeing thicker.

"For me that's the big change, the elders have been telling us whenever we go anywhere in the winter time and the fall time to watch because the freeze up in the fall, early winter is really different," he said.

Bonnetrougealso said he's noticed changes in migratory bird patterns. This year in particular, he said harvesters have told him because the cold spell lasted longer than usual,birds that normally stopin Fort Providence headed directlynorth.