Massive flooding was caused by ice jams within Buckland on Thursday according to National Weather Service.
The weather service reported that they reported Buckland River had flooded 80 percent in The Northwest Arctic Borough community, and residents were traveling by boat.
According to the census for 2020 535 people resided in Buckland. A photograph from the air shows the swollen river running across an incline and into the neighborhood.
A huge ice block in the Yukon
In the meantime, a massive frozen ice blockage was in the middle of a remote part of middle Yukon River, upstream of the village of Ruby. National Weather Service hydrologist Ed Plumb flew over the ice block on Thursday.
“We witnessed around 50 miles of ice packed in behind the ice blockage that wasn’t moving. We also saw widespread flooding in the overland area for many kilometers down the Yukon River — for many miles from the bank” he added.
Plumb claims that isolated cabins or fish camps are enveloped by flood waters in the region where there is the Nowitna River flows into the Yukon.
“It’s creating a massive lake, where it’s reversing to the Yukon River water,” he explained.
Plumb reports that it was clear that the water was rising at Tanana approximately 40 miles downstream from the conclusion of the jam. However, it wasn’t known if this was because of the jam or the larger slug of broken water and ice flowing downstream of the river.
In an flood advisory in place through midnight p.m. on Saturday at 12:15 p.m., the National Weather Service warned that residents of the area must “stay vigilant and be ready to act.”
Floodwaters recede at Glenallen
In the Glenallen region the snow melt-related floodwaters have receded significantly. In the incident’s commandant Jason Severs redits actions by the Alaska Department of Transportation.
“DOT has hired an contractor who has two pumps. They’re pumping waters out of Glennallen in downtown Glennallen,” he said. “They’re also constructing two more culverts that will connect to Moose Creek.”
Moose Creek along with its other tributaries form the basis of the flood, which began on May 12, when an intense warm-up started melting the snow layer. Severs states that at peak of the flood, the there was a water level of 6-8 feet deep in some areas.
“It has inundated into the basement area of LIO office, as well as the community library. The fire station is completely flooded gone,” he said. “BLM has structures that are submerged. I think there are six homes with damage. Many non-profit and business establishments are affected by damaged water.”
Severs claims that a community water system damaged by floodwaters is operating again, though at a lower capacity. The flood waters have been largely draining from the majority of Glennallen, but the western part of town was still in the water at the time of writing.
As of now, Severs says the community is receiving assistance.
“There are a few private contractors who have visited some of the private homes. The state has also come out and they’re doing preliminary evaluations. It’s the American Red Cross is here. They’re providing water, food cleaning products,” He said.
Severs claims Glennallen is the line for federal and state aid. Severs expects the recovery process could take a few months.
