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Water levels continue to drop
Great Slave, Prosperous, and Prelude lakes approaching historic lows

Thandiwe Vela
Northern News Services
Published Friday, May 27, 2011

SOMBA K'E/YELLOWKNIFE - It may be another rocky fishing season, as Environment Canada water surveys have shown water levels so far this year even lower than last year, when Yk area lakes reached record lows.

NNSL photo/graphic

Great Slave Fish Products owner Brian Abbott and employee Sheila Frise stand across the lake from their slanted barge on Jolliffe Island. The barge used to float on the water, but one side has been banked on dry land since the water level dropped last summer. - Thandiwe Vela/NNSL photo

"People boating are going to start seeing rocks and reefs showing up that they hadn't seen before," said Bob Reid, head of the Indian Affairs and Northern Development's water management and planning section. "There's a saying," Reid joked, "there's two kinds of people that fish in Great Slave Lake - those that hit rocks and those that are about to hit rocks."

For the month of May this year, the Water Survey of Canada recorded water levels in Great Slave Lake at about 156.4 meters above sea level, about 20 centimetres lower than May last year. Overall, water levels so far this year have been well below average, near minimum water levels recorded since 1934.

The water level at Prelude Lake has hit minimum lows this month, falling to just below 169.1 metres above sea level, about 30 centimetres below average since 1995.

Water levels have also been just below average at Prosperous Lake, near McKeekan Bay.

Less snowfall over the past few years has contributed to the lowering water levels, Reid said, especially in northern British Columbia, Alberta, and Saskatchewan, where about 75 per cent of Great Slave Lake's inflow comes from.

"The major contributing factor is very low precipitation," Reid said. "It's been really dry the last couple summers.

"A good week-long rainfall would be a help."

Great Slave Fish Products owner Brian Abbott and Great Slave Fish employee Sheila Frise are crossing their fingers for that rainfall, so their lives can return to normal. One side of the barge they live in that once floated on the shore of Jolliffe Island has been banked on dry land since the water levels started going down last summer.

"If I was strong enough I'd push it back out," Frise said, of the slanted 800,000-pound barge. Abbott and Frise have had to modify furniture, putting blocks and boards of wood under their beds, tables, and other furniture.

"It's hard walking in there on the slanted floor, it's hard on my back," Frise said. "But we'll be floating straight soon," she added hopefully.

Reid said it's hard to predict which way the water levels will go the rest of the summer, but speculates the local lakes will continue below normal but "probably not as low as last year."

The Great Slave Lake wat-er level fell to 156.01 metres last November, a new record low since 1934, Reid said.

During that time, the Merv Hardie Ferry was forced to shut down for nine days, causing panic among motorists as gas supplies dwindled.

Water levels at the ferry's Fort Providence crossing are directly determined by the water levels of Great Slave Lake, said Greg Whitlock,

Deh Cho regional super-intendent for the Department of Transportation.

The water must be more than 150 metres above sea level for the ferry service to run, he said.

The department is looking into possibly rerouting the ferry around a shallow reef on the south side, Whitlock said, but so far they have not been concerned with the water levels.

"We are aware that the levels aren't quite as high as we would expect this year, but presently we continue to have enough water to operate safely," Whitlock said.

In addition to possible transportation interruptions, the dry conditions causing the lowering water levels also increase the risk of wildfires, said Judy McLinton, spokesman for the Department of Environment and Natural Resources.

"Fire danger increases the longer we have no precipitation," McLinton said.

"People do have to travel on the land," McLinton said. "We do encourage people to act responsibly and if they're going to use fire, take care, make sure there is always somebody by the fire and when you leave, make sure it's totally out.

"We also want to encourage people when the conditions are dry to be careful with cigarette butts and matches, which can start a wildfire."

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