In 1898, The White Pass and Yukon Railway was built to access the Klondike. The WPYR rail line cut across the two western ends of the lake, isolating the main body of the lake from Dugdal Creek which had supplied fresh water to Cowley Lake. It appears as though the rail construction redirected Dugdal Creek so that it no longer supplied water to the lake, only to the northern pond that had been an arm of the lake that had been cutoff by the rail line. A culvert may have supplied water to the lake, but if so, it collapsed or was filled in many years ago. During the period between 2000 and 2010, the lake level was consistently below the level of northern pond. This indicated that the rail bed was an impermeable barrier to water supplying the lake.
Between 2008 and 2011, beavers dammed Dugdal Creek, backing water up so that it overflowed the rail track, and raised the level of Cowley Lake to historical levels. In 2012, some residents expressed concern that the lake levels may exceed the historical highs so asked the Game Branch to remove the beavers from the section of Dugdal Creek that had caused the flooding.
Between 2008 and 2011, beavers dammed Dugdal Creek, backing water up so that it overflowed the rail track, and raised the level of Cowley Lake to historical levels. In 2012, some residents expressed concern that the lake levels may exceed the historical highs so asked the Game Branch to remove the beavers from the section of Dugdal Creek that had caused the flooding.
The letter below was sent to the Railway seeking their assistance in dealing with the water balance problems on Cowley Lake.
Hamlet of Mount Lorne Local Advisory Council August 3, 2009
Mr. Michael Brandt, President
White Pass & Yukon Railroad
c/o White Pass & Yukon Route,
P.O. Box 435, Skagway,
Alaska, 9984, ///USA
([email protected])
Dear Mr. Brandt,
Re: Hydrologic & Environmental Studies of the Cowley Lake / Dugdale Creek Water Shed
Last year at the request of some of my neighbors (with current endorsement from all the residents) who own or occupy the thirteen properties directly fronting on Cowley Lake, the Hamlet of Mount Lorne Local Advisory Council (LAC) approached the Experiential Science 11 (ES 11) teaching staff with a proposal to conduct the above referenced project studies. The residents’ requests were prompted by obvious observed lake water level changes and apparent corresponding fluctuations in fish, benthic invertebrate, and aquatic insect, bird and mammal populations. The Experiential Science class has undertaken a range of studies to better understand the lake’s dynamics, with a long term goal of seeing lake levels and biological productivity restored. To this end, the White Pass & Yukon Railroad may have a role to play in such studies and in possible remediation efforts since the track traverses two sections of the lake.
With support from the LAC, faculty from the University of Alberta and Yukon Government research scientists, the ES 11 teachers developed a program and successfully applied for moderate funding ($10,000), via a Canada International Polar Year grant, to assist in the conduct of these studies. With this support a long term schedule for the studies was established and is now in the second year of what is expected to be a project of more than five years duration.
The ES 11 staff and students have prepared a draft of an interim report on the progress and results to date of the program studies. The results are interesting and the interim report is expected to be finalized early this fall. The ES 11 group would be pleased to meet with you and your staff to present the finalized interim report, respond to your questions and seek your advice and input into adjustments to the studies’ terms of reference and organization.
At the behest of the LAC, the residents of Cowley Lake and the ES 11 teaching staff (David Benton, Alain Dallaire and Bob Sharp) I have been asked to contact you seeking the White Pass & Yukon Railroad’s cooperation and assistance in the successful furtherance of these studies. The opportunity for the ES 11 to access White Pass’ files relating to the original construction and subsequent upgrades to the rail bed where it transects the ends of Cowley Lake would be most helpful. In addition, any financial contributions White Pass may consider in providing to assist in the ongoing needs to purchase scientific data collection and analysis equipment or help defer commercial laboratory expenses would be greatly appreciated.
Should you have any questions or seek further clarification on the content of this letter please feel free, at your earliest convenience, to contact:
either; me at 668 – 6817, via email [email protected] or; Bob Sharp at 668 – 4965, via email [email protected]
Sincerely,
Peter W. Percival, P. Eng.
Cowley Lake Ward Councilor,
Hamlet of Mount Lorne LAC
Mr. Michael Brandt, President
White Pass & Yukon Railroad
c/o White Pass & Yukon Route,
P.O. Box 435, Skagway,
Alaska, 9984, ///USA
([email protected])
Dear Mr. Brandt,
Re: Hydrologic & Environmental Studies of the Cowley Lake / Dugdale Creek Water Shed
Last year at the request of some of my neighbors (with current endorsement from all the residents) who own or occupy the thirteen properties directly fronting on Cowley Lake, the Hamlet of Mount Lorne Local Advisory Council (LAC) approached the Experiential Science 11 (ES 11) teaching staff with a proposal to conduct the above referenced project studies. The residents’ requests were prompted by obvious observed lake water level changes and apparent corresponding fluctuations in fish, benthic invertebrate, and aquatic insect, bird and mammal populations. The Experiential Science class has undertaken a range of studies to better understand the lake’s dynamics, with a long term goal of seeing lake levels and biological productivity restored. To this end, the White Pass & Yukon Railroad may have a role to play in such studies and in possible remediation efforts since the track traverses two sections of the lake.
With support from the LAC, faculty from the University of Alberta and Yukon Government research scientists, the ES 11 teachers developed a program and successfully applied for moderate funding ($10,000), via a Canada International Polar Year grant, to assist in the conduct of these studies. With this support a long term schedule for the studies was established and is now in the second year of what is expected to be a project of more than five years duration.
The ES 11 staff and students have prepared a draft of an interim report on the progress and results to date of the program studies. The results are interesting and the interim report is expected to be finalized early this fall. The ES 11 group would be pleased to meet with you and your staff to present the finalized interim report, respond to your questions and seek your advice and input into adjustments to the studies’ terms of reference and organization.
At the behest of the LAC, the residents of Cowley Lake and the ES 11 teaching staff (David Benton, Alain Dallaire and Bob Sharp) I have been asked to contact you seeking the White Pass & Yukon Railroad’s cooperation and assistance in the successful furtherance of these studies. The opportunity for the ES 11 to access White Pass’ files relating to the original construction and subsequent upgrades to the rail bed where it transects the ends of Cowley Lake would be most helpful. In addition, any financial contributions White Pass may consider in providing to assist in the ongoing needs to purchase scientific data collection and analysis equipment or help defer commercial laboratory expenses would be greatly appreciated.
Should you have any questions or seek further clarification on the content of this letter please feel free, at your earliest convenience, to contact:
either; me at 668 – 6817, via email [email protected] or; Bob Sharp at 668 – 4965, via email [email protected]
Sincerely,
Peter W. Percival, P. Eng.
Cowley Lake Ward Councilor,
Hamlet of Mount Lorne LAC
Judge Barry Stuart, a former Mount Loren resident who interview many people about the lake wrote the following comments:
[These comments come from] "interviews with old timers, and from questions posed to water experts and engineers...
1. White Pass never had the proper approvals to change the course of the creek into the lake nor to lower the lake in any way that might harm marine life [ Johnny Johns remembers not just lake trout but even salmon coming up the creek into the lake]
2. do not think there is any basis for White Pass to rely on the passing of time to defend their illegal actions
3. white pass was willing [without admitting any liability] to explore working with us to repair the lake as much as possible and up to a certain financial amount ...provided we heralded their environmental good work !
4. a water engineer thought it would be possible to return the original creek to the south end and culvert the water under the tracks if the man made stream that diverted the creek could be used as an over flow channel to ensure flooding peaks followed the existing man made stream flowing past the lake
5. also some of the under water springs might be revived through dredging?
6. a more expensive option was not a culvert but a raising of the rail road bed or even a bridge?"
These comments suggest many possible courses for the community to follow regarding some of the issues related to Cowley Lake.
[These comments come from] "interviews with old timers, and from questions posed to water experts and engineers...
1. White Pass never had the proper approvals to change the course of the creek into the lake nor to lower the lake in any way that might harm marine life [ Johnny Johns remembers not just lake trout but even salmon coming up the creek into the lake]
2. do not think there is any basis for White Pass to rely on the passing of time to defend their illegal actions
3. white pass was willing [without admitting any liability] to explore working with us to repair the lake as much as possible and up to a certain financial amount ...provided we heralded their environmental good work !
4. a water engineer thought it would be possible to return the original creek to the south end and culvert the water under the tracks if the man made stream that diverted the creek could be used as an over flow channel to ensure flooding peaks followed the existing man made stream flowing past the lake
5. also some of the under water springs might be revived through dredging?
6. a more expensive option was not a culvert but a raising of the rail road bed or even a bridge?"
These comments suggest many possible courses for the community to follow regarding some of the issues related to Cowley Lake.