Flooding in Rock Creek, Yukon, appears to be abating

Conditions appear to be improving for Rock Creek residents who faced flooding as the Klondike River swelled.

On Tuesday some local roads in the community near Dawson City, Yukon, were under at least 20 centimetres of water due to snow melt and recent precipitation. But by Wednesday water levels had gone down.

Water now goes through a culvert on the road into the community where yesterday water was going over it. Residents are busy cleaning up yards previously underwater.

Rian Lougheed-Smith's yard is still under a foot of water. She lives across the Klondike River from Rock Creek with her husband and daughter. Her property, which was flooded once already this year during spring break-up, is now split by what amounts to a flood channel she and her partner navigate with a canoe to get to their outhouse, shop and chicken coop.

"It's funny while you're canoeing to the outhouse to watch your firewood drifting away," she said.

"We've never flooded this high."

So far her home hasn't been damaged, but she's waiting to see what will come of her garden which is underwater and her cut flowers, which she sells in Dawson City.

"There's probably 1,500 to 2,000 plants that I started as transplants between March and mid-April that I don't know if they're going to make it."

She also lost one of her hens, which drowned after it fell into water and was unable to jump out.

Still, she counts herself lucky.

"I've had so many lovely people message and offer to give me part of their harvest this fall or even to give me whatever starts or plants they have leftover from their own garden," Lougheed-Smith said.

"So even though we are alone here and surrounded by water we're feeling very lucky and very, very loved by our community."

According to Environment Canada, the Dawson City area received almost six millimetres of rain Tuesday. The forecast calls for rain to continue until at least Thursday evening.