Background Articles

Scientists are enhancing flood forecasts in Juneau as Suicide Basin refills, following an unexpected record flood last year caused by rapid drainage.

In Northwest Alaska, the Red Dog mine faces potential delays in expansion, risking future revenue and jobs for the local community, amid environmental and cultural impact concerns.

Rivers and streams in Alaska are changing color – from a clean, clear blue to a rusty orange – because of the toxic metals released by thawing permafrost, according to a new study.

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.

Alaska's legislature has passed a bill to ban PFAS chemicals in firefighting foams, addressing the contamination of drinking water.

Low water levels on the Mackenzie River are causing cargo shipments to use a different route to access northern communities, beginning in the Arctic Ocean. 

The article discusses a contentious proposal for new fish passage infrastructure at the Eklutna River dam, with differing plans and potential legal challenges as stakeholders await the governor's decision.

This region endured similar major floods in 1922, 1942 and 1957 though the current disaster was "extraordinary and all previous 'records' have been surpassed," she added.The Ural River flooded Russia's Orenburg region in particular, while the Ishim — which feeds the Siberian regions of Tyumen and Omsk, and northern Kazakhstan — also burst its banks.

Washington State declares a statewide drought emergency due to significantly low snowpack levels, with expectations of less than 75% of the normal water supply.

It funds maps, sirens and education. "Losing this program, really, at the end of the day could mean deaths in Alaska," says a state official.

The years-long debate is taking on increasing urgency as subsistence harvesting bans continue and the policy responses under consideration threaten to impose steep costs on the industry.

Canada and Alaska have agreed to a seven-year fishing moratorium on Yukon River chinook salmon to aid the species' recovery, following years of declining numbers.

Emergency measures are in place in Kotzebue after a failure in the Swan Lake Loop left 74 households without water, prompting local and state officials to declare an emergency and take action to provide services and repair infrastructure.

Alaska's Yukon River residents feel neglected by a new Canada-U.S. agreement aimed at rebuilding salmon stocks, as the pact requires a seven-year fishing halt that exacerbates their economic and cultural struggles.

Arctic rivers are undergoing significant changes due to a warming climate, with increased precipitation and permafrost thaw leading to stronger flows and altered chemical compositions.

Alberta's water allocation data reveals regional disparities in usage and availability, with agriculture dominating in the south and oil and gas in the north, amidst concerns of overuse and drought.

The oranging of northern rivers seems to be related to recent permafrost thaw that has allowed streams to release previously captive iron, trace metals and acid.

Wyloo Metals CEO Kristan Straub updates on the sustainable development of the Ring of Fire's Eagle's Nest nickel deposit, amid ongoing resistance and legal challenges from some First Nations seeking greater consultation and environmental protection.

Melting permafrost in Nunapitchuk is causing severe structural damage to homes, leading to erosion, instability, and health issues for residents.

Kotzebue Elder Gladys I’yiiqpak Pungowiyi said that over the years, many skilled hunters were lost when they went out hunting and fell through the ice. I’ve been called to pray for people that are affected mentally.”