Broken gauge may be source of Simpson ferry water worry

Damage to a gauge during this week’s ice breakup may be the source of a water level reading that caused some Fort Simpson residents to worry about ferry access.

On Thursday morning, two residents of the village contacted Cabin Radio to express concern at the last water level reported by a gauge at the ferry crossing – just over 1.3 metres on Wednesday evening.

In the past, local officials have described 1.8 metres as the generally accepted lowest level at which the ferry can sail.

“The water is rising a bit in Fort Liard but not likely a half metre by the time it gets here,” one resident speculated on Thursday morning.

The NWT’s Department of Infrastructure, which operates the MV Lafferty ferry that connects Fort Simpson and Wrigley to the rest of Canada, told Cabin Radio water levels could be expected to fluctuate as breakup continues in the vicinity.

After this article was first published, NWT government hydrologist Emma Riley said the 1.3-metre reading was “highly unlikely” to be correct.

“I saw the level drop earlier this week when an ice jam near the mouth of the Liard released. The sensor was likely either damaged or dragged by ice during that time, which is pretty common for this time of year,” Riley wrote in an email.

The Department of Infrastructure did not mention a specific concern about the gauge but more broadly said its staff were in touch with hydrologists and monitoring water levels.

In a statement earlier on Thursday, the department noted Fort Simpson’s MV Lafferty ferry service has a five-year average opening date of May 14 – still six days away.

“The Department is currently assessing shore ice conditions and mobilizing equipment to clear it away from the slipways and landings before the vessel can be launched,” the department added.

Residents of Fort Simpson might be forgiven for being jumpy about the water level. Low water at the ferry crossing has been a concern at times during each of the past two years.

If the ferry doesn’t run, supplies need to arrive by air and residents can find themselves needing helicopter rides to get to and from the community.

So far this season, water levels at the mouth of the Liard River – where it flows into the Mackenzie just outside Fort Simpson – have been far closer to normal values than they were last year.

In the spring of 2024, the water level at the Liard’s mouth was at or near its record low. This time around, levels had been within the average range for the past few months before this week’s precipitous drop.