Flood Advisory

Yukon government has issued or updated a flood advisory.

Name of advisory: Nordenskiold River Breakup

Type of advisory: ice advisory

Status of advisory: advisory status maintained

Current conditions: The Nordenskiold River is showing open water along most of the river from above the bypass bridge to just below River Drive. Water level rise and ice movement began April 21. The ice near the mouth and on the Yukon River is seeing gradual degradation.

Weather forecast: The Carmacks area will see near to above normal temperatures today and tomorrow, with a good model agreement in a short period of cooling on Wednesday and Thursday with light precipitation on Wednesday. Warmer weather will return on Friday and into the weekend.

Water level forecast: Snowmelt runoff in the Nordenskiold River basin is expected to increase over the next few days as temperatures rise. Ice is expected to begin shifting with increasing mobilization beginning this week. Current ice conditions as of April 27 suggest that the ice jam flood potential for the area below River Drive has decreased, with lessened backwater pressure due to the presence of an open water channel conveying increasing flows downstream. That being said, the potential for an ice jam below the River Drive bridge remains.

Flood Advisory Definitions:

Ice Advisory: River ice is changing or expected to change. Ice may melt, break or move; large pieces of ice may be flowing in the river. River levels can change very rapidly. Changing ice conditions may cause isolated flooding in low-lying areas.

High Streamflow or Water Advisory: Lake levels or river flows or levels are rising or expected to rise rapidly, but no major flooding is expected. Minor flooding in low-lying areas is possible.

Flood Watch: Rivers or lake levels are rising and will approach or may exceed banks. Areas beside affected rivers and lakes may flood.

Flood Warning: River or lake levels have exceeded or will exceed banks or flood stage very soon. Areas beside affected rivers and lakes will flood.

Contacts:

For flood response, contact the Yukon Emergency Measures Organization at 867-667-5220 or emo.yukon@yukon.ca. In an emergency, phone 9-1-1.

To share ice and water level observations, contact Water Science and Stewardship at waterlevels@yukon.ca.