Flood — Lower Kuskokwim Valley, Alaska

2023-05-15 to 2023-05-16 · near Aniak, Lower Kuskokwim Valley, Alaska

Event narrative

A 15 mile long ice jam moved from Crooked Creek downstream into the area around Napaimute through Birch Crossing which included the areas of Aniak and Chuathbaluk. The ice jam flooded the Napaimute Airport on the evening of May 15. Flooding then impacted the Napaimute airport with 4' of water in the hangars and surrounding homes and structures. Flooding continued to impact the Napaimute Airport through May 22, 2023. As the event progressed, high water spread downstream as the ice jam impounded water. High water and large chunks of ice inundated the Aniak airport on May 16, 2023.

Wider weather episode

Unusually cold weather kept ice coverage in place on rivers across Alaska in spring 2023 with breakup much later than normal. Ice started breaking up on the upper reach of the Kuskokwim River starting May 4th when ice started showing movement at Nikolai. Ice continued to melt, move and jam into late May. A Flood Watch was issued for Red Devil on May 13 and additional flood watches continued to be issued as ice jam flooding continued to threaten communities downstream until the ice jam threat passed on the Kuskokwim River, May 22, 2023. This episode covers the time from May 13 though May 18. May 19-22 are covered in the next Kuskokwim Episode.

View location on OpenStreetMap → (61.5800, -159.6821)

Source: NOAA Storm Events Database, event_id 1104169. Narrative written by the NWS forecast office that issued the report.