Dez Loreen
Northern News Services

Aklavik (Oct 17/05) - Aklavik might not flood any time soon, but it's best to be ready in case it happens again, according to researcher Steve Solomon.

Solomon and his team have been monitoring the Mackenzie delta, looking for answers to questions about the land and how it's changing.

Surveying was done in late September to find out if Aklavik's geography had changed at all since the flood in 1992.

Digital imagery of the Aklavik area recorded after the 1992 flood will be compared the most recent data.

Although they have been collecting information on the Aklavik region since the first recorded flood, Solomon said there's still a way to go. "We don't have enough information to predict flooding patterns yet," said Solomon.

Once more information is gathered, Solomon can use it to find any unseen long-term patterns in water levels.

The information will be brought back to Aklavik in order to educate the community about possible 'danger' zones.

"In the end, I want information that could help the community in case of an emergency."

The group from Halifax had also travelled to Tuktoyaktuk to examine the concerns about coastal erosion.

No information has been released regarding Tuktoyaktuk, Solomon said.

"We'll have a good idea about the state of the North once more information is received."