Yukon gov’t to build an ‘ice Band-Aid’ opposite stream during Dawson City

The Yukon supervision will try to “nudge Mother Nature along” this winter by employing engineers to assistance a Yukon River solidify over during Dawson City.

“Basically, a devise that’s been due is to take H2O in Dawson and mist it into a stream to assistance promote a freezing,” pronounced Public Works Minister Richard Mostyn.

“Mother Nature is arrange of a variable mistress, and we’re going to assistance her emanate an ice overpass opposite a Yukon River.”

The Yukon supervision expects to spend an additional $20,000 to move in an engineering organisation that will coax on a frozen process. (Claudiane Samson/Radio-Canada)

Every winter, a Yukon supervision maintains an ice highway channel of a stream during Dawson. About 100 people live opposite a H2O from a categorical city site, in West Dawson, and rely on a connection.

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Last year, however, a stream never totally froze over where that supervision channel routinely is. This year looks similar, so distant — there’s still a widen of open water.

“So we’re going to take action,” Mostyn said. 

The supervision typically spends about $80,000 any winter to build and say a ice crossing. This year’s devise — with an “ice Band-Aid opposite a channel,” as Mostyn calls it — will cost about $100,000.

‘We siphon adult a water, fire it into a atmosphere … this hopefully will connect to a existent ice,” pronounced Volker Neth, an ice operative with Tetra Tech. The Yukon supervision expects a organisation to start work in early January. (Government of Yukon)

‘Spray technology’

Volker Neth, an ice operative with Tetra Tech, a engineering organisation streamer adult a project, says it will engage “spray technology.”

“We siphon adult a water, shoot it into a atmosphere … this hopefully will connect to a existent ice, and any ice floes that come down a stream will be glued together with this method,” Neth said.

“The thought is that we can form an ice cover, sooner.”

Neth says he’s used such a technique elsewhere in Canada, including a high Arctic, though it’s never been attempted on a fast-moving Yukon River. 

No guarantees

Mostyn admits a whole thing is a bit of an experiment, “to arrange of poke Mother Nature along.”

“We’re sincerely assured we’re going to be means to lift this out. There are no guarantees,” he said.

“Things are changing adult here. The meridian is not what it once was, so we’re going to have to be innovative … And this is one of a projects we’re going to start with.”

He expects a engineers to start work in early January. 

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Article source: http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/north/dawson-city-ice-bridge-yukon-build-1.4461544?cmp=rss