High flood potential identified for several Yukon communities

A Yukon government hydrologist saysthere's high flood potential for several communities in the territory.

"We are specifically highlighting high flood potential for Carmacks, Dawson andthe Klondike Valley Old Crow, Pelly Crossing, Ross River, Teslin and Upper Liard," said senior hydrologist Holly Goulding.

She said the potential flooding is based on results from the May 1 snowpack survey, which shows record levels of snow across eight of 11 river basins across the territory, the same as it did in April.

She said the snowpack estimates based on the latest survey range from 150 per cent to 400 per cent of the historical figures for May 1.

"So that's one and a half to four times the snow that we've had on average historically on May 1st," she said.

Goulding said record snowpack was again observed in the Central Yukon River Basin (Carmacks region), the White River Basin, the Liard River Basin, the Lower Yukon River Basin (Dawson region), the Teslin River Basin, the Pelly River Basin, the Peel River Basin and the Stewart River Basin.

Snowpack estimates in the Upper Yukon River Basin (Southern Lakes and Whitehorse), the Porcupine River Basin and the Alsek River Basin are well above average but not record-setting.

Ice break up

The territory issued a flood watch for the community of Ross River on Tuesday night at Pelly River as the ice broke and jammed downstream from the community.

Goulding added she also has concerns about Old Crow given the ice conditions on the Porcupine River and the high snowpack.

"We'll be providing updates to the response agencies and the community as the break up progresses," she said.

She added the risk for flooding from ice breaking up has passed in Dawson City.

"But of course we'll be continuing to watch as we see snowmelt peak flows starting to unfold over the next few weeks," she said.

Weather will determine flooding

Goulding said the biggest concern for flooding are heavy rains and prolonged periods of high temperatures in the high teens and 20s. She said that can lead to rapid snow melt that could overwhelm river channels.

She added that widespread heavy rains are not expected in the Yukon over the next two weeks and that the temperatures have been and are expected to continue to be normal or below normal in the short to medium term.

She cautioned, however, that overnight temperatures below 0 C can lead in some places for snow to melt too slowly.

"The longer we have a large amount of snow on the ground, the more likely we are to get into weather patterns that promote those double-digit, you know, high teens into the 20s," she said.

Goulding said the government will continue to monitor the weather, watch the flows and see how the rivers are responding.

"That allows us to continue communicating for potential and evolving situations to our emergency agencies and partners. And where we see conditions that are concerning, we issue advisories," she said.