FOR RELEASE     #07-159
July 20, 2007

WHITEHORSE - With the forecast of new historic water levels being established on the Southern Lakes, Yukon government has stepped up response efforts to protect the affected shoreline properties in the region.

The lake water level reached the 1981 all-time historic high of 656.994 meters above sea level at approximately 11 a.m. Thursday, July 19. At this time, the forecast is for the water to rise another .225 meters or roughly eight inches over the next two weeks.

"In light of the new lake level forecast, mitigation efforts are being stepped-up," Brad Cathers, acting minister for Community Services, said. "The public response over the past three weeks has been remarkable, and their efforts have made a solid contribution towards protecting the shoreline properties, but at this stage we need to go further and prepare for the water rising higher."

Protective Services has established a Mobile Command Center, at the Marsh Lake Day Use Area, for operations, information and coordination purposes. From this location, local planning will direct how the sand bagging efforts are coordinated. Using information gathered during risk assessment canvassing last week, efforts will now be coordinated by attending to shoreline properties that are considered to be priority risks.

"Through this prioritized coordination approach, the value of the volunteer efforts will be applied where they are most needed," Yukon Protective Services Director Ken Colbert said. "It is a more effective use of the resources and the volunteer contributions, and we want to do the very best with what we have available to us."

Anybody who wants to volunteer some time to help our fellow Southern Lakes Yukoners is asked to drop by the Mobile Command Center located at Marsh Lake Day Use Area for direction to a work team area.

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