The Clean-up Continues at Clinton Creek

by Dan Davidson

At a time when restoration of a mining site usually means restoring things to a natural state, the work at the old Clinton Creek Mine site is just a bit different. When it comes to shafts, buildings, towers and most man-made structures, the objectives for YTG’s Assessment and Abandoned Mines Branch are pretty much what you would expect: minimize impacts, make it safe, remove what can be taken

This long shot shows the two layers of baskets. Picture from YTG presentation

away.

A lot of that has already happened.

What’s different is the fate of a man-made lake called Hudgeon Lake, which was formed when the Porcupine waste dump failed and dammed up the creek. The resulting lake is 115 hectares in size, with a depth up to 27 metres and cubic volume of 2 million cubic metres. It is an anomaly in that the top four metres of the lake sustains a good deal of fish life. Below that depth the lake has a high sulphide content and produces a fair amount of hydrogen sulphide gas.

For some unknown reason the water in the lake does not circulate as in most lakes, but remains stratified, with the toxic concentrations at the lower levels.

Between the sheer size of the lake and its mostly acidic content, the Yukon Department of Energy, Mines and Resources has no wish to see the contents of the lake mixed in with the rest of Clinton Creek and carried down to the Fortymile River. As a result of this the Department of Indian and Northern Affairs began a stream stabilization project in 2002. Hudgeon Lake does empty into the creek now. The project’s aim is to control this flow and prevent any catastrophic flooding that might occur over time, or if there should be an unusually high spring flooding.

Hugh Copeland and Marg Crombie, with YTG’s Energy. Mines and Resources were joined in Dawson by Dave Sherstone of DIAND to explain this process to a small group of interested citizens. In truth, most of those at the meeting were involved in the two years that have been completed on the reclamation project so far, the Powerpoint lecture might just have been for the benefit of the press.

So far the creek bed has been widened and stabilized to prevent erosion and collapse. More significantly two tiers of metal frame baskets called gabion weirs have been stretched across the creek bed and filled with loose rock and gravel. In photos the weirs look a bit like an interconnected row of large shopping carts, but they do a lot more work. As the rushing water from the lake flows through them, it dissipates much of its energy and therefore had less impact on the rest of the environment.

The baskets will flex without losing their structural integrity, and should actually become stronger as the spaces between the cobbles fill up with fine silt. When the baskets do eventually wear away, the framework they have established should survive them.

Clinton Creek, located about 100 km from Dawson City and off the Top of the World Highway, was a mainstay of the Dawson economy between the closing of the big mining company, the Yukon Consolidated Gold Corporation, and the revival that came in the late 1970s when gold prices soared and a decade of working on tourism and history began to bear fruit. The mine ran from 1968 to 1978, and if the company had had its way at the time there wouldn’t be any need for a debate about a Yukon River bridge here now. An offer to pay half the cost was turned down by the territorial government of the day in the late 1960s.

The stabilization project is the cooperative effort of three levels of government: federal, territorial, and first nation. The Tr’ondëk Hwëch’in’s construction arm, Han Construction Ltd., is the lead contractor, subcontracting to eight local companies from a survey by Underhill Geomatics Ltd. and an award winning project design from UMA Engineering.

As most people at the meeting seemed to understand the project quite well, most of the actual questions had to do with whether or not the work would be continuing this summer and what kind of work it might be.

It depends, Copeland told his audience, on whether the department gets the money it needs to continue. Estimates of the total cost remaining are in the millions of dollars, but vary widely depending on who you ask.

There are two more sets of weirs to install in the design plan. There will also be studies into the nature of the asbestos drifting in the area. There are water samples each year, but most of what turns up is just normal background metals.

One thing the project directors are looking forward to is this spring’s freshette. The weirs got a bit of a workout last fall, but the bigger water flows are in the spring, and they will tell more about how well the project is working.

Seasonal Food Programs Prepare for 2004

News release

Dawson City’s Seasonal Food Bank is preparing for its eighth season, and is once again looking for donations of food and cash. The Food Bank offers one-time emergency grocery assistance to those in a tight financial spot. It operates out of St. Mary’s Church.

Dawson’s other seasonal food program is a weekly community supper, which soon will begin for the season.

Every Tuesday evening in Spring a simple hot meal is provided for all who show up--primarily transient workers new to town, with a sprinkling of locals. In 2003 a total of 354 meals were served over a six week period.

The gatherings also give Dawson agencies an opportunity to welcome and communicate with the newcomers. A number of individuals (conservation officers, nurses, recreation programmers, volunteer coordinators) traditionally give presentations.

The suppers operate out of St. Mary’s, with the cooperation of St. Paul’s Anglican Church and the Dawson Community Chapel, as well as a number of generous community volunteers.

These meals are made possible by the generosity of a squad of volunteer cooks who prepare something for one or several of the suppers. Those interested in cooking or supplying food can call 993-5361.

In 2003 the Food Bank assisted a number of individuals in need. There are always some who find that jobs promised early in the summer do not actually begin until the tourist flow is established, and that their first cheque may be delayed until they have worked several weeks. The Food Bank helps to bridge this gap, allowing most of these individuals to avoid the process (and tax payer expense) of turning to Social Services. At the end of the season all surplus non-perishables were donated to the Women’s Shelter for their hamper program.

Individuals are encouraged to contribute cash or groceries, either by dropping them off at St. Mary’s (Fifth and King), or by calling 993-5361 for pickup. Tax receipts will be issued for cash donations.

Dart Night

Submitted

The Henderson corner Darts Club had it’s season wind up games the evening of Saturday May 24^th . Chuck Margeson offered a 180 pin to anyone if they managed a 180 that evening. That pin was proudly worn home by Dan Reynolds who was having a great night.

Dan's 180 Photo submitted