It's all mud, so even if you are able to get a boat near there, you have to drag it through the muck and that makes it somewhat of a challenge. Another problemis that the fluctuating lake levels thawed the permafrost. That caused banks to slump and the landscape to change in areas. There are graves in the area and some are slipping into the water. We also have these crazy bison running around.
People are afraid the water is contaminated.
A herd of bison brought to the Yukon was causing problems on the Alaska Highway and was moved to the north side of the lake a few years ago. Archeological work has been going on in the area for awhile as well, to examine the seven gravesites and the historic end of the village, said Joe. All that work is threatened by the permafrost damage. All of these concerns must be addressed and dealt with before the situation gets any worse, he added. It was only this year the company has been willing to look at the issues.