On May 10, a gravel intersection in Bethel’s Alligator Acres neighborhood became a makeshift port for an odd assortment of canoes, kayaks, and skiffs to shuttle residents – like Brian Jackson and his daughter Abigail – to and from their homes.
“It seems to have turned into the boat launch for the neighborhood. I think this is the most convenient spot,” Jackson said. “We're shuttling kids out to school. And then we're shuttling dogs out for dog walks and bathroom breaks.”
In the afternoon, water levels at the Brown’s Slough gauge in Bethel hovered less than half a foot from what is considered moderate flooding, where evacuation of some homes can become necessary. It’s the highest recorded river level in almost 20 years. The city government has canceled water deliveries for flooded areas and urged residents to prepare for things to get worse.
There’s a flood warning in effect for the Kuskokwim River, Brown’s Slough, and surrounding areas in effect through the morning of May 13. To the north, Kwethluk is also on flood warning through midday on May 13.
National Weather Service Hydrometeorologist Kyle Van Peursem joined KYUK’s morning show, "Coffee at KYUK," on May 10. He said that a lot comes down to a shifting ice front roughly 10 miles south of Bethel near Napakiak.
“Until this ice jam can push further downstream, we're not going to have any improvement. In fact, it's probably going to get worse,” Van Peursem said.
On the evening of May 10, Van Peursem said that water had been reported flowing through the jam, and that waters had risen slightly in Napakiak.
Upriver, Kwethluk’s flooding continues to be the worst seen this breakup season so far. As of last night, officials reported that flooding rose 1 to 2 feet in the community.
“The Kwethluk River is completely full. In fact we flew up, and you can’t even tell where the river was because the whole tundra up there was flooded with water,” Van Peursem said. “We did get word this morning that the water levels in Kwethluk stabilized. I think that's a good sign that things are trending in the right direction for them. So hopefully we've kind of crested in terms of water levels.”
Roughly 6 miles downriver from Bethel, floodwaters continued to threaten Napaskiak on the evening of May 10. The community’s airport was cut off from town, only accessible by boat across a roughly half-mile stretch of water, according to Napaskiak resident Earl Samuelson.
Samuelson said that water had filled all of the low-lying areas in the community and was within 8 to 10 inches of inundating some homes on May 10. He said that it is the highest water he has seen in Napaskiak since 1995.
“Folks that are out there traveling by boat, keep the wake down in front of town because these homes are critical right now,” Samuelson said.
Samuelson also said that the school in Napaskiak is ready to be used as an evacuation shelter, and that one family had taken shelter there so far as a precaution. Samuelson’s main concern on the night of May 10 was ensuring access to clean drinking water.
“People without water, getting access to the well is a problem right now. So they might run out of water, and they’re gonna be asking for water, and we can’t deliver water,” Samuelson said.
Amid historic breakup flooding on the Kuskokwim River, Gov. Mike Dunleavy has issued a disaster declaration for lower Kuskokwim River communities. Eligible communities like Bethel, Kwethluk, and Napaskiak will be able to access state funds for emergency-related costs and cleanup assistance when that point comes.
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.
