Monday, April 13, 2026
The Government of Yukon announced new information regarding the replacement of the Wareham Dam spillway near the Village of Mayo, including risk, design, cost and construction timelines.
Recent independent engineering work confirmed the existing spillway has reached the end of its service life and needs to be replaced. A new March 2026 review of that work confirmed the spillway poses unacceptable risks if it is not replaced.
Yukon Energy anticipates the Wareham spillway replacement project will cost around $180 million.
This work reinforces earlier findings from 2023 through to 2025 that identified accelerating deterioration and the potential for serious consequences, including risks to public safety, the environment and the local economy.
On March 11, 2026, the Government of Yukon’s Environmental Compliance and Inspections Unit issued a Supplementary Direction requiring additional mitigation measures to address infrastructure risks. This follows an earlier Inspector’s Direction issued on November 14, 2025. These directions confirmed the significance and urgency of the required remediation work.
“The newest independent review is clear: the spillway is at the end of its life and needs to be replaced. We support fully replacing the spillway because it is the most effective way to reduce the risk of failure. We are also being upfront about the cost. This is a major infrastructure project in a remote northern environment, under tight timelines, with real consequences if it is not replaced soon. The priority now is getting the work underway, reducing risk and making sure this facility can operate safely for the long term. This project is about ensuring safety and energy security for Yukoners,” said Minister of Energy, Mines and Resources Ted Laking.
As one of the Yukon’s three hydro facilities, the Mayo Hydro Facility is essential to providing dependable power year-round, generating 15 megawatts of renewable electricity.
Yukon Energy has taken steps to advance its project to replace the spillway.
- On March 25, 2026, Yukon Energy submitted a Project Proposal to the Yukon Environmental and Socio-economic Assessment Board (YESAB) outlining the selected design and a three-year construction program.
- In-water construction is expected to begin in early to mid-June 2026.
Completing the first phase of construction will significantly reduce flood risk to the Village of Mayo ahead of the 2027 spring freshet.
Featured image: (Yukon Energy)
