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SOMBA K'E/YELLOWKNIFE
A half-meter drop in water levels since Monday means ferry commuters can expect delays due to reduced load limits, said Earl Blacklock, communications manager for the Department of Transportation.

The water in the Mackenzie River channel used by the Merv Hardie ferry was at 150.013 metres above sea level on Wednesday, said Blacklock. Generally, the water level must be at least 150 metres above sea level in order for the ferry to operate in its usual channel.

Blacklock said the reduced load limit means fewer trucks can board each trip. As a result, wait times at the crossing near Fort Providence will increase. Crews will be making on-the-spot decisions about which vehicles load first, "based on safety and practicality," he said.

"Short-term disruptions in service due to further drops in water levels or ice are likely in the next two to three weeks," said Blacklock.

Though he said it was "certain" that water levels would drop below 150 metres, a bathymetry study (the study of underwater depth) commissioned over the summer has given the Department of Transportation a 3-D picture of the bottom of the river and "we're fairly confident that we have a margin even below 150," he said.

The study also allowed the department to find an alternative channel that avoids a reef and will be used "at the captain's discretion" if the water level dips too low for the current channel.

The department commissioned the study after the water level dropped to 149.65 metres last November and the Merv Hardie ferry did not run for nine days.

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