Arthur Milnes
Northern News Services

FORT SIMPSON (May 08/98) - It was close.

Water levels along the Mackenzie just about hit dangerously high positions last week but the village got off lucky as levels dropped by the end of the day.

At one point Thursday, Fort Simpson was only centimetres away from an evacuation order being issued. Levels reached 13.46 metres. The siren would have sounded for evacuation at 13.7 metres.

Meanwhile, in Jean Marie River, residents were not so lucky. Water was covering 20 per cent of the community's airstrip Friday and on Saturday morning, most residents left town for a tent city on higher ground. Some stayed until Sunday.

Chief Yvonne Norwegian stayed behind in the community to keep an eye on the river overnight.

By Tuesday, levels were still high but not dangerously so, said Jean Marie River band manager, Fred Norwegian.

"We're still watching the water carefully," he said Tuesday afternoon.

"Last night (Monday) it (water) was still over the road going out of town."

In happier news, both the Liard River and Fort Providence ferries were in the water as of Tuesday afternoon. The ice broke at Fort Providence as of Sunday.

Still, GNWT Department of Transportation marine services staff were making no promises earlier this week.

"We're hoping to be in operation by the end of the week," Gerald Perron, marine services manager said on Monday.

"It's been between the sixth and 12th of May (where the Liard ferry starts running)."

The annual reŞts on the ferries began just after Easter and work is currently under way on the landings.