Flood in Taiya Inlet, Alaska

The northern inner channels have been very wet so far this summer and any time moderate rain moved over the area the Taiya River waters levels went over their banks, this event was no different. Record rain fell over the area the on August 15th with about a one half of an inch near Skagway. This produced a minor flooding event on the Taiya River but it receded back to bankful by Saturday August 16th. Moderate rain from the warm front with tropical connections moved over the area Sunday morning August 17th and persist through the day before tapering off in the evening and overnight. With the ground already very saturated the rain went right into runoff and into the Taiya River. This increased the water levels to go over minor flood stage by the afternoon and then crested over moderate flood stage in the evening at seventeen point zero eight feet. The water level slowly went down through the rest of the night and was below minor flood stage by Monday morning. Above moderate flood stage of seventeen feet there is significant flooding along the Chillkoot Trail within the The Klondike Gold Rush National Park with flood waters at least thigh deep in places along the trail. The Park Service may close the trail above moderate flood stage due to safety concerns from the high and swift water.

Another warm front with tropical moisture connection moved over the northern half of the Southeast Alaska on August 17th. The combination of very wet antecedent conditions, rainfall from the weather front and high freezing levels, to increase snow and ice melt, produce significant runoff into the Taiya River basin. This caused the Taiya River to rise from bankful stage on the morning of the 17th to moderate flood stage of seventeen feet by the early evening. This produced significant flooding along the Chilkoot Trail in the Klondike Gold Rush National Park.