Government of Yukon releases final flood hazard maps for Teslin and What We Heard report on Teslin Flood Hazard Maps Engagement

The Government of Yukon has released flood hazard maps that cover Morley Bay, the Village of Teslin, Deadman Creek, Brook's Brook and Johnson's Crossing. These maps provide critical flood information to help the public and all levels of government better adapt to climate change, reduce flood risk and make informed decisions. They are part of a series planned for all 14 flood-prone communities, as committed to in the Our Clean Future climate strategy. Developed through detailed surveying, modelling and public input, these maps show how different flooding scenarios could impact surrounding areas.

The flood hazard mapping study for the Teslin area began in May 2023, with public engagement held between June 11 and July 5, 2024. Local knowledge was gathered and applied to the study to validate modelling results. A What We Heard report, summarizing the public input on the draft flood hazard maps for areas of interest along Teslin Lake in the Traditional Territory of the Teslin Tlingit Council (TTC) is now available on Yukon.ca.  

Yukoners who participated in the engagement discussed the impacts of groundwater, flooding on local infrastructure and housing, how maps will be used and options to reduce flooding impacts and emergency response and community support. Municipal and First Nations governments emphasized the need for user-friendly maps, better understanding of water quality impacts from flooding and how the maps could influence future land-use planning. The feedback received helped validate the results and informed refinements to how information is presented on the maps.

The next flood hazard maps will be developed for Old Crow, Dawson and the Klondike Valley. They are expected to be released in 2025.