Melting snow is triggering erosion and high water in the Copper River Valley this week, sweeping one home into the river and leading to flooding in communities near Glennallen.
High temperatures caused rapid snowmelt in many portions of the state that has led to rising waters and some flooding, said Dave Streubel, a hydrologist with the National Weather Service. A flood advisory had been in effect Monday for the Copper River Basin.
As the waters rose in the Copper River, natural erosion along the banks began to threaten homes in Copperville, about 6 miles southeast of Glennallen.
“The high water there just eats at the banks,” Streubel said.
On Monday, a home near the edge of the river fell into the water as the bank eroded, said Jeremy Zidek, spokesman for the Alaska Division of Homeland Security and Emergency Management.
Zidek said the home was a second home or vacation residence, but up to six other houses were also threatened by the erosion. Two of the threatened properties belong to full-time residents, he said. By Tuesday, one of the residents was able to return home, but Zidek said the other was still weighing their options.
About 60 miles north, volunteers worked through the Memorial Day weekend to pile sandbags around Meier’s Lake Roadhouse. Owner Mo Rauen said she noticed water from the lake rising at the end of last week and knew they needed to prepare for the worst.
A 3-foot culvert that drains the lake wasn’t big enough to handle the influx of water from the combination of historic winter snowfall throughout much of the Interior and steadily high temperatures in recent weeks, Rauen said.
Repairing sandbags Tuesday afternoon, she said the water level showed no signs of dropping. The lodge has some damage, but nothing that can’t be fixed. She’s hoping water doesn’t rise to the level that it might hit the building’s generators.
“It’s important,” Rauen said. “This is a historical building — we can’t lose it. There’s not very many roadhouses left.”
***CLOSED 5/30-6/2*** After a lot of hard work and help we have the flooding under control. We will be closed until...
Posted by Meier's Lake Roadhouse Fraley/Rauen on Monday, May 30, 2022
Snowmelt on Moose Creek flooded Glennallen earlier this month, damaging homes and businesses. Several other communities throughout the state were impacted by ice jam flooding. Gov. Mike Dunleavy issued a disaster declaration that will allow for those impacted by the rising waters to apply for financial assistance.
Erosion is not covered by the state’s Individual Assistance Program, Zidek said, but homeowners in the Copper River Basin with damage from river erosion could still qualify for some portions of assistance. He encouraged anyone with damage to apply before the July 12 deadline.
Residents can apply for assistance online at ready.alaska.gov or by phone at 907-428-7072 and 907-428-7075.