Flooding has caused some property owners to leave their homes, says government information officer Kathryn Hallett.

Hallett said today there has been no evacuation order, but there are crews on the ground who may advise homeowners to leave.

She said it’s her understanding that some homes have already been flooded.

There are approximately 60 members of the government team in the field with between 90 and 100 members of the Canadian Armed Forces who arrived Tuesday to assist. There are also seven flood specialists from Manitoba who arrived last Sunday.

“The rate of rise has slowed a little bit and we are just working to protect people’s homes,” Hallett said.

“Government and military crews are doing things like putting in protection by building berms, barriers and dikes, and they are helping property owners.”

Hallett said the level of Marsh Lake as of this morning was 14 centimetres above the level it reached in the devastating 2007 flood. Lake Laberge is sitting at 17 cm above the levels seen in 2007, she said.

Hallett said the water level of the Yukon River at Carmacks has dropped six inches in the last five days and they are now demobilizing crews there and sending them to the Southern Lakes.

Dr. Benoit Turcotte, a senior research professional in hydrological processes at YukonU, told the Star today the cooler temperatures currently are helping.

The cooler temperatures, he said, is breaking the flooding momentum in the Southern Lakes.

Turcotte said at the peak inflows into the Southern Lakes two weeks ago, there was approximately 1,200 cubic metres entering the lakes, or double the 600 cubic metres flowing out of the lake.

The rate of inflow is now about 20 per cent higher than the amount flowing out, he explained.

Turcotte said the high temperatures of late have melted the snowpack that feeds into Marsh Lake. The end of the snowpack that feeds into Bennett Lake is close, he said.

Turcotte said there is still a snowpack around Tagish Lake and Atlin Lake.

“Right now I would say Tagish is contributing 80 per cent of what is entering the lakes,” he said.

The research professional said it’s unknown how much glacial melt is contributing.

Turcotte said flows are declining in tributaries feeding into the Southern Lakes.

Rainfall in the coming weeks is an unknown, he added, and could affect future events.

Meanwhile, the City of Whitehorse announced at noon today it has activated its Emergency Operations Centre because of rising water levels in the Yukon River.

“The city is currently working closely with the Government of Yukon Emergency Measures Organization (EMO) and the Yukon Energy Corporation to monitor the Yukon River and any potential impacts to Whitehorse,” says a press release issued by the city.

It says based on its current assessment of the situation, this is not an emergency.

The release says several thousand small and large sandbags have been jointly purchased with the territorial government, and delivery is expected shortly.

City staff are currently assessing the need and availability of fill material, as well as potential sandbag staging locations in Whitehorse.

The city is taking these steps out of an abundance of caution, and to be prepared in the event of flooding.

The city’s emergency centre is located in the Public Safety Building at the top of Two Mile Hill.

People can contact http://whitehorse.ca/flood for the most up-to-date information.