A 10-mile ice jam on the Lower Kuskokwim River has caused severe flooding in Tuluksak, with the area experiencing its worst flooding in over a decade.
Less snow than usual fell in the area this winter. It melted early, exposing the tundra. A steady wind has dried the vegetation, and hardly any precipitation has fallen since early March. Thoman said that with no rain and abundant sunshine, the tundra has remained brown and dry. The fire still is not threatening the community of Kwethluk or any Native allotments.
After heavy snowfall on Jan. 19, the ice road from Bethel to Tuluksak has been plowed and is open for use. Napaimute Traditional Council’s Mark Leary, who
Most Kuskokwim River communities have escaped heavy flooding so far, but not Kwethluk. Social media photos show water rising high and completely covering
Dynamic breakup conditions are causing ice jams and flooding in Kuskokwim river communities, and significantly damaging infrastructure.
The pair were hoisted from 140 feet above, according to Guard officials. Flooding continues to be a concern in the area.
Warm May temperatures are rapidly melting the above-average snowpack in the Kuskokwim Basin. Snowmelt is running in to still-stable river ice, causing ice jams and flooding near Napaimute.
An ice jam is holding downstream of Napaimute, flooding the seasonal village. At Aniak, the ice is shifting, according to Aniak resident Dave Cannon.
The river is so rough in the Upper Kuskokwim area that it is impassable to vehicle and snow machine traffic. Big boulders of snow-covered ice are scattered across the river caused by high water and a late freeze up.
"Our roads are slippery when there would be snow to where the children were out with their sled. Planes never cancelled as much as this year to where the flights were backed up to 3 or 4 days. Lately, we've been seeing grasses regrowing after it warms up out there."
The past couple years have been warmer than normal contributing to where the river is still flowing ice and with some of the plants still green.
This is the second year in a row that people from Chuathbaluk are able to use boats (skiffs) on the Kuskokwim River in November.
The loss of frozen ground in Arctic regions is a striking result of climate change. And it is also a cause of more warming to come.
Early green up following a very mild winter with little snow.
We have had an extremely warm winter, and the river had many open holes that never froze completely.
In the village of about 400, outgoing winter ice dams triggered flooding tha shut down the low-lying runway for 11 days.
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