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After flooding in early June eroded the supports of Pangnirtung's two bridges, surveyors have been looking for the best location for a new permanent structure. - photo courtesy of Andrew Dialla

PANNIQTUUQ/PANGNIRTUNG - The search for a site to build a new bridge in Pangnirtung has come full circle.

After flash floods in early June forced both the town's bridges to close, surveyors have been trying to determine the safest place to construct a permanent replacement structure.

So far, it looks like the best site is in the same location as the newest of the existing bridges, which was still under construction when the heavy rains on June 7 and 8 eroded its supports.

A temporary bridge built a month ago has allowed the town to get by until a new structure is in place.

Pangnirtung's Laisa Pudloo was out of town at the time of the flood, although she lives just up the hill from where the washouts occurred. She's confident another bridge would withstand more flooding so long as the replacement structure is built with Mother Nature in mind.

"The water's coming up quite a bit," said Pudloo. "I don't know if (the bridge) would break again. If they fixed it with cement, I'm sure it would hold."

A couple months after the flood, the town's senior administrative officer, Ron Mongeau, said there is still little understanding of why the flood and subsequent washouts occurred. It will also take time to determine how to construct the new bridge so that it can stand up to future environmental disasters.

"We're still in a situation here where there are a lot more questions than we have answers," Mongeau said.

"In terms of scientific analysis, we're still on hold for now."

When the permafrost is most active in mid to end of August, "we'll look at penetrating radar, seismic and additional core sampling," he said. "Then we'll get a better picture of what's happening under the surface."