A powerful dust devil in Noatak, Alaska, was strong enough to lift and flip a small aircraft, an unusual intensity for the area, and nearly overturned a nearby boat, surprising local residents.
Cold winter conditions in Noatak, Alaska, have provided stability for erosion control projects, allowing the completion of a revetment wall before the anticipated spring thaw and river ice movement in May.
Erosion is rapidly exposing the community water line. Recent efforts to stabilize the area proved ineffective as gravel is quickly washed away, threatening the water supply infrastructure.
The Noatak River's persistent erosion is threatening key transportation infrastructure including the adjacent road and airstrip.
High water on the Noatak River is accelerating erosion and causing the destruction of a decades-old cement pillow revetment wall in Noatak.
High water throughout the summer continues to erode the river bank.
Erosion of the shoreline on Well Island is threatening the water line that connects the village of Noatak to their water supply. The Tribal Health System is coordinating with the federal agencies and state and borough to support water supply needs and repairs.
LEO Member Jeffrey Luther has been documenting erosion along the Noatak River for many years. His drone footage this spring captures new bank erosion features and icicle formations.
Heavy rains have elevated river levels throughout August and September. High water continues to erode the river bank in the community. The photos show a tree that was 22 feet from the edge is know 3 feet. Total erosion has reached 91 ft. by old landfill and new mark shows 112 ft. marker.
The river in Noatak is slowly cutting away parts of the road. This is an on going problem and the observation by Jeffrey Luther provides the latest in a series about erosion and related impacts.
This post is an update on the river erosion situation in Noatak, where a new channel is being cut by the Noatak River.
As the river changes and erosion happens along the banks, new channels are being formed around the community.
Permafrost thaw in Noatak is causing the condition of the grave site to degrade. A trench has formed and crosses are tipping over.
The heavy rains and high water from storm Murdok today and Monday are contributing to the erosion of the old landfill and river bank.
Community gravel source and old dump site threated by erosion.
The collapse was documented with drone imagery as was a permafrost rebound signature in the river water.
As the spring snow melt the flooding cuts away the bank more every day. This observation includes photos showing the location of the community water source, transmission line.
Noatak has lost 19' of river bank since May 19th. Now the road to the community gravel source is failing.
A fisherman was coming home from fishing last night and noticed (what he thought was) a coffin sticking out of the old gravesite above one of the markers I used to measure erosion with last summer. It turned out to not be a coffin, but rather an old air duct or metal meat trailer.
I'm guessing all the rain we received during summer of 2021 created the trench.
"This year we had a lot more rain than other years, we used to be able to get on our ATVs and travel 10-12 miles upriver. I haven't seen or heard of anyone using ATVs to travel upriver this year. I think the breakthrough channel has a lot to do with us not being able to travel on ATVs. I see a lot of my favorite ATV fishing spots washed away from the highwater."
Community Water System at Risk: Extreme precipitation throughout the summer and sustained high water has resulted in erosion of the location for the water transmission line and Noatak's two water wells.
Unusual high water all summer in Noatak, causing massive erosion towards the airport and old buried landfill, exposing old trash into the river.
Photos show some of the erosion caused by surge of high water in late June on the Noatak River. As of June 29th, 24 feet of bank have been lost adjacent to the Noatak Airport, and 28 feet adjacent to the landfill.
River erosion in Noatak is posing a threat to wells and transmission lines along the bank as the river ebbs closer.
High water in the Noatak River causes erosion near the old dump site.
Staircases are separating from building and utility poles leaning.
The ground under the new road is developing a sink hole and affecting the foundation of the adjacent house.
Ground settling is causing a wide range of impacts in Noatak, including to the water treatment plant. But are there benchmarks to monitor the changes in the water plant?
Noatak site experiencing thawing and subsidence.
Low water on the Noatak River may be the reason behind changes in the water quality in community wells. The water quality began to change in the plant as measured (eventually) by the need for twice as much chlorine and Naclo polymer in order to get an acceptable residual of chlorine. The change indicates that the well recharge had been depleted and the that wells began operating on stored water in the aquifer. This water would have been older, likely anaerobic and higher in organics and in inorganics such as iron and manganese.
The Arctic Sounder - Serving the Northwest Arctic and the North Slope
Climate change may be enabling beavers to move deeper into the Arctic. And as they move, they magnify climate change’s effects.
With fewer caribou in the area and the higher cost of fuel to travel upriver to find the animals, families and neighbors are finding themselves in a tough spot.
The lynx population is up this year in Kivalina
With caribou herds in decline and migration patterns swaying in recent years, news that caribou are following a more traditional migration route near Kivalina and Noatak caused a buzz this fall.
3-13-13 Buggy ptarmigan - Noatak, Alaska, USA
Extremely high water on the Noatak
The issue of erosion is not new to Noatak cemetery. The old cemetery was located near the Noatak's airstrip, but in 1993, the spring breakup caused 30 feet of erosion adjacent to the cemetery. Flooding during the fall of 1994 further threatened the site, so residents relocated 200 graves to the north side of town.
Recent discoloration of 75 streams in Arctic Alaska reflects increased iron and trace metal loading following climate-driven permafrost thaw. These findings have considerable implications for drinking water supplies and subsistence fisheries.
The erosion that prompted Gov. Mike Dunleavy's action is advancing on the Northwest Alaska community's water lines.
Observations From Members 