Nahanni Butte (Jun 26/06) - When the South Nahanni River spilled over its banks June 18, residents of this Deh Cho community dug out the hip waders and jumped into canoes to get down flooded streets.

The river started rising on June 17.

"Everyone is keeping cool and calm. No one is getting excited," said John Ivey, band manager.

The river was at the highest level community members have seen in three years but by this past Monday, the water level was holding steady. Flooding came to within 20 metres of flooding the band office, and filled the community garage with about 60 centimetres of water.

The river crested over the banks along four areas, creating large lakes about one metre deep said community foreman Earl Hope.

On Monday, the water was less than 20 metres from the band office. Three houses had water up to the doorsteps and the community garage was filled with 1.5 to 2- feet of water, Hope said.

The main concern was access to the airport. Between 200 to 300-feet of the winter road was covered by water cutting off access from that direction.

The main road in the community was also under water, Ivey said. With boats, the community would not become stranded, but it would be difficult if an elder needed to be medivaced, Ivey said.

His house was one of the structures surrounded by water. He had to canoe to work.

Both the South Nahanni River and the upper Liard River were very high, said Roger Pilling, a hydrometric supervisor with the Water Survey of Canada.

On June 19, the Liard River was flowing 50 per cent above its normal range.

On June 19, the Liard River was sending more 50 per cent more water than usual into the Mackenzie River, said Pilling.

The levels can be contributed to melting snow and a lot of rain in Northern British Columbia and the Yukon, Pilling said.