No plans to fix boat launch on Yukon's largest lake this year, gov't says

The Yukon government says it won't dredge the Destruction Bay marina this year, frustrating local boaters and again forcing the cancellation of a popular summer fishing derby.

Low water levels in Kluane Lake have made the Destruction Bay boat launch too shallow to use. The lake began to droptwo years ago after the Kaskawulsh Glacier retreated and its meltwater switched direction, away from Kluane Lake.

"What we need to ascertain is the long-term projections for what the lake levels are going to be," saidJohn McGovern, Yukon's director of community services.

McGovernsays if crews went ahead and dredged this spring, they mightonly provide a working boat launch for one season.

"What we want to make sure of is, when we do build a new boat launch that it's going to be appropriate for what lake levels are projected for the next few decades."

Right now, the Destruction Bay launch is only half a metre deep in the summer.

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No more fishing derby

Local residentJohnOstashek, who is alsoa director with theKluaneLake Athletic Associationin Destruction Bay, is frustrated and feels his community is being ignored by the government.

"All we are looking for and asking for is the existing infrastructure to be maintained which means dredging it out.Make it deep enough so you can put a boat in the water," Ostashek said.

The unusable boat launch means that for the second year in a row, there won't be aKluane Lake Fishing Derby on the Canada Day weekend.Ostashek says the annual fishing derby has been the main source of fundraising for theKluaneLake Athletic Association.

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He also says there are safety concerns.He says if there werean accident on the lake, it will be hard for first responders to get onto the water.

"Destruction Bay is where the medical centre is, it's where the fire truck is, it's where the first responders who are volunteers live, in those communities ofBurwash and Destruction Bay," saidOstashek.

The only other boat launch on Kluane Lake is near Sheep Mountain, but Ostashek says it's also in bad shape.The government has said it will spendnearly $40,000on that launch this year, to ensure it is usable.

"Almost every other lake that has a highway beside it whether or not there is a community has government-maintained boat launches," he said.

"Kluane Lake, the largest lake in the Yukon, only has two boat launches on the entire lake neither of which are serviceable at the moment."