Water drops a bit near Dawson City, but flood advisories still in effect

Yukon emergency officials said Tuesday the water had dropped slightly in the Rock Creek area near Dawson City, but a flood warning was still in effect for the Klondike River.

A flood watch — less urgent than a warning — was also maintained on Tuesday for the Yukon River at Dawson City.

On Monday, some Rock Creek residents were subject to a "tactical evacuation" of the area amid floodwaters that had risen rapidly over the previous day. The evacuation was voluntary and not an order.

The government's online flood atlas described the ice jam at Rock Creek as remaining "stubbornly in place" on Tuesday while the water level fluctuates as ice shifts and melts. It said there were still "multiple" ice jams on the Klondike above Rock Creek.  

The water level was expected to continue to slowly drop as the ice melts, though it could drop more quickly once the ice jams break.

The Yukon River, meanwhile, has begun to break up both above and below Dawson City. Ice is decaying more rapidly above Dawson, which increases the risk of a jam forming downstream from the town, the government advisory states. 

Localized high water at various points along the Yukon River are expected over the next two to three days.