Alberta Environment and Protected Areas has issued an Ice Jam Watch for the lower Smoky River and the Peace River from the Town of Peace River to Sunny Valley.
Two ice runs were observed on the Smoky River. They are expected to arrive at the ice jam located near the mouth of the Smoky River overnight and in the early morning of April 21.
These ice runs have the potential to push the existing ice jam into the Peace River and start to break up the ice cover through the Town of Peace River.
Should this occur, an ice jam could form causing increased water levels. Water level increases happen quickly when an ice jam has formed.
The Peace River ice front is retreating steadily approximately 78 km upstream of the Town of Peace River. A dynamic snowmelt driven breakup of the Smoky River ice before the ice front passes the Town of Peace River can initiate breakup of the Peace River and can increase the ice jam flood risk at the Town of Peace River and locations downstream.
The ice cover through the Town of Peace River remains intact, and there are no current flood impacts.
See more: https://rivers.alberta.ca/
All updates: www.peaceriver.ca/2026melt
