Peace River Water Levels Now

The Peace River system is experiencing extremely low water levels as of September 2025, with the region facing its third consecutive year of severe drought conditions. The situation has deteriorated significantly across multiple watersheds, with some tributaries reaching record low flows and critical infrastructure being impacted by water shortages.tumblerridgelines+1

Current Water Level Status

Regional Drought Classifications

As of September 2025, the Peace River region is classified under multiple drought levels:

• Peace River Regional District (including Fort St. John, Dawson Creek, and Kiskatinaw watershed): Drought Level 4 - the second-highest level possible and currently the highest in British Columbiatumblerridgelines

• South Peace Region (including Tumbler Ridge): Drought Level 2tumblerridgelines

• Northern Peace areas: Drought Level 3tumblerridgelines

The County of Northern Lights declared an Agricultural Disaster on July 24, 2025, due to severe drought conditions that began in summer 2024 and have continued to worsen.countyofnorthernlights

Critical River Flow Measurements

Recent monitoring data from June 2025 reveals critically low flows across major tributaries:tumblerridgelines

Flatbed Creek:

• Current flow: 2.54 cubic metres/second

• Normal average: 13.72 cubic metres/second

• Current level: 8.08 meters

Murray River:

• Current flow: 105 cubic metres/second (record low)

• Normal average: 226.31 cubic metres/second

Kiskatinaw River:

• Current flow: 0.85 cubic metres/second (record low)

• Normal average: 19.15 cubic metres/second

• Current level: 0.15 meters

Peace River Main Stem Conditions

Williston Lake Status

Williston Lake at Lost Cabin currently sits at 81% of maximum storage capacity as of September 12, 2025, with water elevation at 36.69 meters. The reservoir shows a 2% increase (753,027 dam³) from July 31 levels but remains below normal range for this time of year. This represents approximately 32.1 million dam³ of the total 39.5 million dam³ maximum storage capacity.rivers.alberta

Site C Dam Impacts

The Site C reservoir filling process began in August 2024 and is nearly complete as of September 2025. The filling has caused temporary water level reductions downstream in the Peace River:watercanada+1

• Water levels in Peace River town dropped 1 to 1.5 meters during the initial filling phaserivercountry

• The process diverted water from normal river flow to fill the 83-kilometer-long reservoirsitecproject+1

• Once operational, Site C will normalize flow patterns, but the filling phase has contributed to current low water conditionsrivercountry

Flow Projections and Management

According to BC River Forecast Centre data from September 8, 2025, downstream Peace River flows remain well below normal. The Parsnip River above Misinchinka River shows flows averaging 336.5-388.0 cubic metres/second, significantly below typical seasonal levels.bcrfc.env.gov

Long-term Hydrological Changes

Climate and Infrastructure Impacts

The Peace River system has experienced significant long-term changes affecting water levels:soaer

• Freshet flows decreased by 13.5 m³/s per year between 1972-2017soaer

• June flows decreased by 1.2% annually at Hudson's Hope and 0.9% at Taylorsoaer

• Summer flows decreased by 1.0% annually at Peace Pointsoaer

Indigenous communities report that water levels have been declining for several decades, with lakes and rivers consistently lower than historical norms. The Kelly Lake Métis observe creeks running dry in late May rather than the traditional late July/August timeframe.soaer

W.A.C. Bennett Dam Effects

The W.A.C. Bennett Dam operations since 1972 have contributed to altered flow patterns:soaer

• Late winter flows have increased in some small tributaries due to warmer winters causing more snow meltsoaer

• Spring freshet peaks have decreased due to flow regulationsoaer

• Water level fluctuations are more unpredictable, with "100-year" floods and droughts becoming regular occurrencessoaer

Agricultural and Economic Impacts

Livestock and Feed Shortages

The persistent drought has created severe challenges for Peace region ranchers:energeticcity

• Hay yields remain very poor despite July rainfall providing some reliefenergeticcity

• Many ranchers questioned whether hay fields were worth cutting by late Juneenergeticcity

• Feed shortages and limited surface water continue to affect livestock operationssyngenta

• Grasshopper infestations are compounding stress on remaining vegetationsyngenta

Water Supply Restrictions

The Kiskatinaw River, serving as Dawson Creek's primary water source, has approached record-low levels, prompting municipal water restrictions. This critical supply shortage affects both urban and agricultural water users throughout the region.energeticcity

Regional Variations and Recent Improvements

Mixed Recovery Patterns

While the broader Peace region faces severe drought, there have been localized improvements:

• Southeastern Alberta saw dramatic improvements in August 2025 after receiving over 150% of average rainfallsyngenta

• However, conditions in the Peace Region worsened despite mid-month storm systemssyngenta

• Extreme drought expanded northward in the Peace area, contrasting with improvements elsewhere in Albertasyngenta

Seasonal Outlook

Current forecasts indicate continued challenges through autumn 2025:producer

• Warmer-than-normal conditions expected across the regionproducer

• Normal precipitation projected, but insufficient to address long-term deficitsproducer

• Less snowpack accumulation anticipated for early fall, raising concerns for spring 2026 water supplyproducer

Infrastructure and Navigation Concerns

Ferry and Transportation Impacts

Low water levels are affecting transportation infrastructure:

• Ferry crossings face operational challenges due to reduced water depthsenergeticcity

• Minor flooding advisories issued during brief rainfall events due to rapid runoff from drought-hardened soilsenergeticcity

• Boat launch closures along the Site C reservoir during filling phasewatercanada+1

Future Water Management

The completion of Site C is expected to provide more regulated flow patterns once fully operational by late 2025. However, the current drought conditions highlight the vulnerability of the Peace River system to climate variability and multiple infrastructure demands.wikipedia+2

The 2025 NWT Spring Water Outlook notes that flow rates on the Peace River have been below average, with water levels on Lake Athabasca remaining below normal as downstream effects continue. This indicates that the Peace River's low water conditions are affecting the entire Mackenzie River basin system extending into the Northwest Territories.gov

The situation represents one of the most severe and sustained drought periods in the Peace River region's recent history, with implications extending far beyond local agricultural and municipal water supplies to affect hydroelectric generation, transportation infrastructure, and downstream ecosystems throughout the vast Peace-Athabasca watershed system.

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