Athabasca River, May 3, 14:30
(Fort McMurray, Alberta) – River breakup is now officially complete in Fort McMurray, bringing an end to this year’s Ice Jam Watch and lifting the Evacuation Alert for Draper.
Officials say there is no longer a significant risk of ice jam flooding along the Clearwater or Athabasca rivers in Fort McMurray and surrounding areas.
Water levels briefly rose on the Clearwater River on May 6 after an upstream ice jam broke free south of town. Levels quickly dropped again once a smaller jam near the mouth of the river released, allowing ice to continue flowing into the Athabasca River.
In a statement, Regional Fire Chief and Director of Emergency Management Jody Butz thanked residents for staying informed and relying on trusted information throughout the situation.
Officials say this spring’s river response highlighted how far the community has come since the devastating 2020 flood. Flood mitigation measures helped prevent impacts to homes and businesses in downtown Fort McMurray, even as water levels on the Clearwater River rose more than five metres and peaked at 246.4 metres during breakup.
Flood mitigation construction will continue throughout the 2026 season in several areas of the community, including Reaches 1, 2, 6, 9, and 10-2, along with smaller projects near Reach 5 and the Hardin Street intersection. The temporary clay berm along Clearwater Drive will also be removed and reused as construction on Reach 6 begins this summer.
Design work also continues on future flood mitigation projects including Reach 4, Reach 10-2, TaigaNova South, and the Hangingstone Expansion Area. All permanent structural flood mitigation work in Fort McMurray is expected to be complete by 2028.
While the immediate flood risk has passed, officials say several ice runs are still expected over the next few days and residents are still being asked to stay away from riverbanks due to fast-moving water and unstable shoreline conditions.
Crews will now begin removing temporary flood mitigation infrastructure and reopening affected areas. Residents are reminded to obey posted signage and avoid closed-off work zones while cleanup continues.
More information on river breakup and flood mitigation is available through the Regional Municipality of Wood Buffalo.
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