The National Weather Service has issued a flood advisory for Tuluksak and Akiak and canceled the flood advisory for Kalskag as the breakup front moves downriver.
As of Sunday morning (May 5), officials said they plan to issue a flood watch for Kwethluk, Akiachak and Bethel in anticipation of the continued slow march of breakup and potential ice jams as the front hits the sturdier ice below Bethel.
As of Sunday morning (May 5), officials reported an ice jam below Akiak causing minor flooding in Akiak and Tuluksak in low-lying and poor drainage areas, with some water over roadways.
Overnight, an ice jam had moved from below Tuluksak to below Akiak, and caused some high water in both communities. But as of Sunday morning (May 5), residents reported that the water had not reached houses in the communities.
National Weather Service Hydrologist Johnse Ostman said Sunday morning that he believed the open Kuskokuak was helping mitigate the high water.
“The Kuskokuak Slough is allowing enough water by to keep water levels from rising very fast,” he said. “They’re rising, but not very fast.”
RiverWatch officials say cooler temperatures may slow the speed of breakup on the Kuskokwim. But up and down the river, they say that ice looks weak, and it’s not likely the colder weather will bring breakup to a complete halt.
On the Yukon River, breakup is a bit delayed. The river broke at Eagle on Friday, and as of Saturday morning, there was a flood watch in Circle because of the approaching breakup front. Hydrologists said that while water levels in Galena were rising slowly, there weren’t yet signs of breakup.
Find photos from Saturday's Kuskokwim RiverWatch flight here.
Breakup and flood-related information can change quickly, and this article may be updated to reflect more current information.
Share photos or observations with KYUK at 907-543-0223 or by emailing news@kyuk.org.
