The impact of the 2026 spring melt and its effects on the Town of Peace River’s finances was a topic discussed at council’s May 11 meeting.
Last winter had significant challenges with a high level of snowfall in the region and a lot of ice on the Peace River, that administration noted only stopped growing in mass at the end of March.
The year’s river break-up started on April 18 with an ice run on the Smoky River that created an ice jam between Watino and the mouth of the Smoky River.
Director of Infrastructure and Development Pat Fisher says the ice jam ended up pushing into the mouth of the Smoky River where it meets the Peace River. This alerted the Town to ensure it was all hands-on deck to be ready for potential flooding in the community.
“Council and administration recognized the potential risks early on and were committed to taking a proactive rather than reactive approach,” says Mayor Shelly Shannon.
“Having a comprehensive emergency plan in place ensured that the Town could respond quickly, coordinate resources effectively, and provide residents with timely, accurate, and consistent information through multiple communication channels.”
In anticipation of the peak water flow rates, Peace River staff were monitoring conditions all day between April 19-26, with 94 people working on the emergency management agency. The Town strived to provide updates to its residents via both its website and Facebook pages.
“Clear communication and preparedness are critical during any potential emergency,” says Shannon.
“Keeping the community informed helps reduce uncertainty and panic, allowing residents to make informed decisions and remain calm during stressful situations,” she adds. “Our priority was to ensure the safety of residents while maintaining public confidence through transparency.”
The Town ensured to have contractors staged at high risk areas to watch for debris and runoff, had public works staging equipment and monitoring drainage issues, had an evacuation reception centre in case of an evacuation order, and had busing from Peace River School Division in place if an evacuation order was issued.
The extra precautionary measures and added staff was an estimated expense of $203,000. This includes $34,000 in staff overtime, $52,000 in additional flood response equipment, $45,000 in opening the road by the high school, and $10,000 for monitoring of Pat’s Creek and clearing the trash rack.
Shannon says these costs are being covered through the Town’s existing operating budget and administration continues to monitor expenditures throughout the year to ensure they remain within budget.
“If additional funding approval is required later in the year due to ongoing pressures or unforeseen costs, council would likely consider a transfer from the tax-supported operating reserve,” explains Shannon.
“These reserves are specifically maintained to help the Town respond to unexpected situations and emergency-related expenses such as flood response, infrastructure impacts, and public safety measures.”
Shannon says emergency preparedness is something the Town takes seriously every year.
“Regardless of snowfall levels or the potential for ice jams, annual planning and monitoring are essential to ensuring we are ready to respond quickly and effectively should conditions change,” she explains.
“The significant snowfall this past winter and the elevated moisture levels did require additional planning and monitoring, this year. While no two seasons are exactly alike, our goal is always to be as prepared as possible to protect our residents and critical infrastructure.”
The Town experienced some damage as a result of the spring runoff, which is now on the Town’s radar for repair.
“The excessive ground moisture contributed to several slope slides throughout the community, including the stairs leading up to Peace River High School and the hill entering Lower West Peace,” says Shannon.
“A few local businesses also experienced structural damage to their buildings. The significant snow accumulation over the winter also resulted in roof collapses on some structures.”
Landing Street has also had significant sloughing along the embankment and currently has one lane of traffic closed.
“Landing Street is the road that provides access to Lower West Peace,” says Shannon.
“The lane closure will remain in place until the recommended remedia- tion work identified by geotechnical specialists can be completed. These measures are necessary to ensure the stability of the slope and to reduce the risk of any additional sloughing resulting from regular traffic accessing the neighbourhood,” she adds.
“Public safety remains the priority, and the Town will reopen the lane once it is confirmed safe to do so.”
Shannon says that as a river community there is always a level of ongoing flood risk, especially during summer months when significant rainfall can lead to open water flooding.
“The Town’s berms and storm gate systems are designed to manage these types of situations and allow for a more predictable and controlled response,” she notes.
“Historically, the most significant flooding concerns in Peace River have been associated with spring runoff and ice jams. With the breakup season now behind us, those higher-risk conditions have largely passed for the year.”
The Town will continue to monitor river conditions closely, but there are currently no major concerns at this time.
Emily Plihal
Local Journalism
Initiative Reporter