Canoeists should take precautions with high water levels in the Yukon.

Ric Janowicz, the senior hydrology scientist with the Water Resources Branch of Environment Yukon, told the Star higher than normal rainfall in July is causing some waterways in the Yukon to rise.

The Pelly River is about 30 per cent higher than normal for this time of year, he said, due to wet conditions in interior Yukon.

And the Jarvis River is about twice the expected level for July, as it is a small stream that reacts very rapidly to rainfall, he noted.

But in Whitehorse, the Yukon River is just slightly above normal.

“Nothing too wild or crazy,” Janowicz said.

Rainer Russmann, owner and operator of Adventure Tours Yukon Wild, said extra precautions should be taken while canoeing when water levels are high.

This includes choosing a river according to the skill level of the weakest member of a group.

“Local people usually have a pretty good understanding of what to expect,” he said.

But tourists and those less familiar with Yukon rivers have a tendency to overrate their skills.

Russmann said that in higher water situations, it’s best to downgrade to safer rivers.

The Yukon River is an easier river to paddle, Russmann noted, because it’s wide-open, with no obstructions.

The Teslin River also has conditions that make it less dangerous.

Meanwhile, the Big Salmon River is quite narrow in the beginning, and has tight corners with log obstructions, he said.

Especially when the water is high, less skilled paddlers can get pushed into shore and tangled in logs, causing their canoe to capsize.

Russmann added that ideally, people shouldn’t canoe by themselves, and that two canoeists are safer than one.

As well, people should make sure to bring the necessary gear, including rain gear, warm clothes, and have enough food and the ability to make a fire and keep warm.

“A rainy, cool day and no adequate rain gear and protection against weather and cold can create a difficult situation,” Russmann said.

On July 21 there were two RCMP rescues due to the high water levels.

Faro RCMP rescued a couple from the Pelly River near Faro after their canoe hit a submerged tree stump, causing it to capsize.

The same day, a couple was rescued by Haines Junction RCMP by helicopter at their cabin outside of the village.

They were stranded for three weeks after their quad rolled as they were trying to cross the river, and the high water level and log jams made it impossible for them to leave.

Environment Canada meteorologist Alyssa Charbonneau confirmed that communities across the territory experienced wetter than normal weather in July.

In Whitehorse, there were 49.7 millimetres of rainfall compared to a monthly average of 38.1 mm.

Dawson City was right at the average of 49 mm.

Mayo had 60.4 mm of rain compared to normal rainfall of 50.2 mm, while Burwash Landing had the highest rainfall at 106.6 mm, compared to an average of 67.9 mm.

Weather was dryer in the northern part of the territory, with Old Crow receiving 28.7 mm of rainfall compared to an average of 43.5 mm.

Charbonneau said the wet conditions were the result of a series of systems pushing moisture off the Pacific Ocean into the northern part of B.C. and the Yukon.

But the beginning of August is looking at a dry stretch for the territory.

Temperatures are expected to climb into the mid-20s, slightly higher than normal.

The following week, it may start to cool off with a chance of showers, Charbonneau said, but the weather will stay fairly dry overall.