LEO Network

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The LEO Network is a worldwide network of observers and experts that share their observations of environmental change.
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Observations

Shortening ice season on Chistochina River
"The river was iced over for less then 6 weeks! As opposed to 5 months of ice 2 to 3 feet thick before climate change."
Chistochina, Alaska, United States
Wilson Justin, Robert Busey, Crane Johnson

High water around Kotzebue
Above normal temperatures in the month of November followed by a series of storms makes varying ice conditions.
Kotzebue, Alaska, United States

Invasive Elodea in Piledriver Slough
Invasive Elodea has been observed since 2020.
Moose Creek, Alaska, United States

Invasive Elodea in 28 Mile Pit
Elodea found on and near Eielson Airforce Base
Eielson Air Force Base, Alaska, United States

Invasive Elodea in Chena Slough
Invasive elodea decade history in the Chena slough with mitigation and persistent infestation.
North Pole, Alaska, United States

Protecting roads and water infrastructure from erosion
River erosion is impacting the road and requiring the replacement of health infrastructure.
Huslia, Alaska, United States
Lucy Snyder, Jacqualine Schaeffer, Max Neale

Rain continues to impact Noatak River
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.
Noatak, Alaska, United States
Jeffrey Luther, Richard L Thoman Jr, Michelle McAuley

High water in Kotzebue Sound
Water floods the Kotzebue lagoon. Grasses can be seen in July and a month later in August the water has risen 4-6 ft.
Kotzebue, Alaska, United States
Jacquelyn Overbeck, Susan Tessier, Jimmy Evak, Nic Kinsman, Jacqualine Schaeffer

Beluga Whale Spotted in The Yukon River Near Tanana
The marine mammal was seen some 600 miles from where the river empties into the Bering Sea.
Tanana, Alaska, United States
Verena Gill, Barbara Mahoney, Rodney Evans

Signs of a wet summer are numerous around Cheney Lake
The rain in July has been persistent and in some cases intense. At Cheney Lake there is plenty of evidence about the wet summer.
Anchorage, Alaska, United States

Alberta "Stonecat" Fish
An observer's unexpected catch of a Stonecat in Alberta's Milk River reveals a native species of concern, prompting a draft recovery strategy for this and other at-risk fish.
Coutts, Alberta, Canada

Concerned about algae in Cheney Lake
Over the last several weeks the algae bloom has ranged from significant covering the surface of the lake in many places to today seeing patches of the bloom here and there on the surface. It can also be observed below the surface near the shoreline.
Anchorage, Alaska, United States

Highwater brings dramatic erosion
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.
Noatak, Alaska, United States
Sarah Yoder, Jason Norris, Chris Dankmeyer, Jeffrey Luther, Richard L Thoman Jr, Jacqualine Schaeffer, Max Neale

Erosion Impacting Vegetation and Roads
This post is an update on the river erosion situation in Noatak, where a new channel is being cut by the Noatak River.
Noatak, Alaska, United States
Jeffrey Luther, Max Neale, Crane Johnson, Anna Liljedahl

Drought in the Saanich Peninsula
“We spent the weekend outdoors camping on the peninsula and notices shoreline grasses has dried and shriveled.”
North Saanich, British Columbia, Canada

Noatak Erosion and River Channel redirection
As the river changes and erosion happens along the banks, new channels are being formed around the community.

Invasive Elodea in Harding Lake
Elodea was first observed in Harding Lake in 2020 growing in isolated patches and has since been assessed and managed by the Fairbanks Soil and Water Conservation District and its partners.
Salcha, Alaska, United States

Persistent drought
"In our country Afghanistan I have observed that the level of water is decreasing day by day."
Kabul, Kabul, Afghanistan

Open Water at Moose Creek
Open water in February.
Buffalo Soapstone, Alaska, United States

Severe Erosion in Newtok
A site visit to Newtok on September 30, shows severe erosion from impacts of storm (typhoon Merbok). The images show both severe permafrost melt and river erosion.
Newtok, Alaska, United States

Up river effect from Typhoon Merbok
The heavy rains and high water from storm Murdok today and Monday are contributing to the erosion of the old landfill and river bank.
Richard L Thoman Jr, Jeffrey Luther, Joy Britt

Storm unearths ancient tusks
The aftermath of Typhoon Merbok left fuel tanks floating and home flooded, but locals also saw an opportunity.
Newtok, Alaska, United States

Decreased Peregrine Falcon Sightings on Yukon River
Between the fall of 2021 and the fall of 2022, APU students observed a dramatic decrease in the number of Peregrine Falcons between Eagle and Circle, Alaska.
Eagle, Alaska, United States
Caroline Van Hemert, Paul Twardock, Kimberlee Beckmen, Angela Matz

Salmon run disrupted by trench dug across Coquihala River
There were alternatives for Trans Mountain Corporation to digging a trench in the river to lay pipe during the time the salmon were running.
Hope, British Columbia, Canada

Sudden lake draining event
"The event occurred on June 29th, on our native allotment near Kotzebue (Illivak). We left home in the morning and when we came back around 8:00 PM in the evening the whole lake had drained! It looked like it was blown up with dynamite."
Kotzebue, Alaska, United States
Ken Tape, Richard L Thoman Jr, Gemini , Guido Grosse, Susan Tessier, Benjamin Jones, Anna Liljedahl , Vladimir Romanovsky, Jacqualine Schaeffer, Joanna Barton, Ingmar Nitze, Bruce Forbes

Unknown Insect
This eye catching insect is the adult stonefly.
St. Mary's, Alaska, United States

River erosion threatening old dump site
Community gravel source and old dump site threated by erosion.
Joy Britt, Kayla Nay, Sarah Durand, James Benzschawel, Jeffrey Luther, Erin Nelson, Desirae Mack, Joanna Barton

Stickleback fish die-off
There were a plenty of what appeared to be juvenile dead stickle back fish on the top of the embankment of a few ponds.
Elim, Alaska, United States
Gay Sheffield, Jayde Ferguson, Brandon Ahmasuk, Leigh Takak, Scott Kent

Huge section of river bank collapses in Noatak
The collapse was documented with drone imagery as was a permafrost rebound signature in the river water.
Edward "Ted" Smith, Edna Bailey, Jeffrey Luther, Joy Britt, Anna Liljedahl , Paul Walton, Hiram Walker, Chris Dankmeyer

River erosion threatens road
Noatak has lost 19' of river bank since May 19th. Now the road to the community gravel source is failing.
Joy Britt, Jason Norris, Crane Johnson, Jeffrey Luther, Max Neale, Chris Dankmeyer, Edward "Ted" Smith, Anna Liljedahl , Paul Walton

Still very cold on Noatak
Crane Johnson, Richard L Thoman Jr, Jeffrey Luther

Bank erosion exposing old landfill contents
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.
Chris Dankmeyer, Paul Walton, Tom Wolforth, Jeffrey Luther, Joy Britt

Swans displaying unusual posture floating in lake
A passenger on a small commercial plane flying between Nome and Golovin reported seeing 5-6 swans all motionless, floating on a pond. The reason of the behavior is unknown.
~ 60 Miles East of Nome Alaska, United States
Louisa Castrodale, Andrew Ramey, Bob Gerlach, Carol Oliver, Michael Bruce, Brandon Ahmasuk, Kimberlee Beckmen, Racheal Lee, Angela Matz, PATRICIA SCHWALENBERG, Gay Sheffield

Chistochina River darker then usual
"Now I have seen the current muddy at break up but usually after prolonged warming and winds. This one is about a month ahead of the game."
Chistochina, Alaska, United States
Richard L Thoman Jr, Katie Spellman, Wilson Justin, Crane Johnson

Freeze up on Lower Kenai River
Cold on the Peninsula! Cabin owner on Kenai River near Soldotna says they have not seen it frozen like this in years.
Funny River, Alaska, United States

Frac-out of Trans Mountain pipeline expansion project drilling under Fraser River
This happened about 250 m from the shore of the Fraser River in a creek at Colony Farms.
Port Moody, British Columbia, Canada

Different Speeds in Stream Current
" I was down by North Fork taking pictures by the stream and noticed the differing speeds in current throughout the small part of the stream in view. A part of the stream was almost completely stagnant and just a little way farther down stream it was flowing like crazy. "
Eagle River, Alaska, United States

Only two flamingos sighted on Sidi Boughaba Lake
On a hiking trip, observer sees a lone pair of Flamingos at Sidi Boughaba Lake National Park. This was not expected from a sociable bird species that travel in large flocks.
Kenitra, Gharb-Chrarda-Beni Hssen, Morocco
David Oswald, Chyna Williams, Salma Sayeh

High water this summer changes travel on Noatak River
"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."

"Snowlike" Saline Soils in Southern Alberta
The large quantity of salt that had accumulated this year, 2021, was a lot more predominant and at a much higher quantity then has been observed in previous years.
Farms along Hwy 1 with salt accumulation

Bank erosion putting community water wells and transmission line in danger
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.
Malinda Chase , Max Neale, Chris Dankmeyer, Crane Johnson, John Warren, Paul Walton, Richard L Thoman Jr, Edward "Ted" Smith, Jeffrey Luther, David Beveridge, Joy Britt

2021 Summer Heat Wave in Cranbrook: Low Water Levels in the Philips Reservoir Causing Unusual Water Restrictions to the Community
These prolonged above-normal temperatures required the City of Cranbrook to increase water restrictions to levels not generally experienced by the community. Additionally, during this time (personal experience), the water was discoloured and had an odor, forcing bottled water to ensure safe drinking.
Cranbrook, British Columbia, Canada

Rapid Erosion Exposes Old Landfill
Unusual high water all summer in Noatak, causing massive erosion towards the airport and old buried landfill, exposing old trash into the river.
Max Neale, Paul Walton, David Beveridge, Jeffrey Luther, John Monville, Jacquelyn Overbeck, Crane Johnson, Joy Britt, Chris Dankmeyer, Richard L Thoman Jr

Kobuk Rain and High-water Flood
After significant rain and high water from the Kobuk River the Native Village of Kobuk is now flooded.
Kobuk, Alaska, United States
Chris Dankmeyer, Crane Johnson, Richard L Thoman Jr, Ida Norton, Virginia Commack, Francine Moreno, Edward "Ted" Smith, David Beveridge, Mary Mullan, Max Neale

Larva of water beetle (Dytiscus)
Tribal member of St. Mary's finds the larva of a predaceous diving beetle.
St. Mary's, Alaska, United States

Downstream Erosion after Heavy Rain in Brooks Range
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.
Jeffrey Luther, Edward "Ted" Smith, Richard L Thoman Jr, Paul Walton, Crane Johnson, Joy Britt, John Monville, Chris Dankmeyer

Flood Level on Takhini River
"River is running bank full with all gravel bars and low islands underwater."

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