Erosion continues along Noatak River

Observation from Jeffrey Luther on 8-20-24

I went and measured the erosion before the 'Big Storm' hits us, I will have updates later this fall once the water starts to drop again. A local operator is excavating potholes at the old landfill measuring depth of debris to the tundra. I hope they don't get stuck for too long.

LEO Says

As erosion and storms continue into the fall, important steps need to happen to make sure old garbage sites are properly taking care of. Typhoon Ampil will continue to raise the water levels in the Noatak river and increasing the chances of soil and large pieces of the land being eroded into the river. See advisory from NOAA with impacts from the storm.

Comment by Rick Thoman:

It has been incredibly rainy since early July in the Noatak valley. The Natural Resources Conservation Service SNOTel station at Kelly River has reported 13 inches of rain July 1 to August 25, which is more than twice normal for this period. The National Park Service's Asiak Remote Automated Weather Station (RAWS), southeast of Noatak, has reported almost 14 inches of rain in the same time.

Comment from Gemini:

This observation continues documentation of the long-term erosion occurring along the Noatak River, a phenomenon LEO Network member Jeffrey Luther has been tracking diligently. As highlighted in previous observations dating back to May 2020, the riverbank has experienced significant erosion due to factors such as high water levels, heavy rainfall, and rapid snow melt. For instance, in May 2020, Luther reported a 15-foot land loss in just two days (Erosion and High Water in Noatak, 2020). The situation escalated in June 2023, with 130 feet of erosion observed after heavy rainfall exacerbated the spring runoff (Highwater brings dramatic erosion, 2023). Luther's ongoing monitoring, which includes drone footage captured in Spring 2024 (Spring bank erosion and icicle formation, 2024), provides valuable visual evidence of the changing river dynamics. His observations have also pointed to a potential shift in the river channel, which could redirect erosion patterns (Noatak Erosion and River Channel redirection, 2023). This continued documentation is crucial for understanding the escalating impacts of climate change on Alaskan communities, as rising temperatures and altered precipitation patterns contribute to erosion and threaten infrastructure.