Yukon Energy warns of flood risk at Southern Lakes

Water levels in the Southern Lakes could reach all-time highs this summer, Yukon Energy Corp.officials warn, adding that there's nothing they can do to stop the rising waters.

Forecasters with the public utility are predicting water levels in Marsh Lake will peak around Aug. 13 at just under 657 metres, surpassing 2004 levels, and may reach record levels higher than those set in 1981. The lake is considered to be at its full supply level at about 656.2 metres.

The Southern Lakes, located upstream along the Yukon River from the Whitehorse Rapids hydroelectricity station, include Schwatka Lake, Marsh Lake and Tagish Lake.

Yukon Energy spokeswoman Janet Patterson told CBC News that the floodgates on all their Yukon River dams have been open for months, meaning there is little else they can do.

"In fact, this year because of the high snow pack that we had, we suspected it might be a high water year," she said Monday.

"We have 32 gates at the Lewes River bridge in between Schwatka Lake and Marsh Lake. This year we opened them a full month earlier, so we did that in hopes that it would alleviate the problems somewhat come later on this summer."

Patterson said concerned waterfront residents along the river and the lakes have time to prepare, since levels are not forecasted to peak for another month.

Fire Chief Dennis Bouchard of the Tagish volunteer fire department said people in the area are already helping each other prepare for the rising water, even though no homes face any immediate danger of flooding.

"They're starting to sandbag here. We have sandbags and sand," Bouchard said.

"The water is up high and it's kind of starting to wash out some of the banks from the wind and the boats. Everything is looking pretty good for now, but the flood season is supposed to be peaking here some time in August."

Bouchard said the community of Tagish, a settlement of about 200 full-time and cottage residents about 60 kilometres southeast of Whitehorse, has a history of pitching in to help out in emergencies.

He added that he knows he can count on his volunteer firefighters to help residents prepare for a possible flood.