Permafrost Melt Causing River Erosion

Observation: Every year the permafrost is melting more than the previous year causing severe river bank erosion.

Video: Permafrost Melting Causing River Erosion. By Jonathan Henzie, Environmental Coordinator, Allakaket Village Council. August 2017

LEO says: Warming temperatures have impacted permafrost areas across Alaska. Permafrost thaw has contributed to many ecological changes around Alaska, including changes in hydrology. The ways in which permafrost thaw affects different areas is difficult to predict, because of the many differences in permafrost landscapes across the state. However, a study by the U.S. Geological Survey described the changes to the Yukon River Basin, in which Allakaket is located. As the river waters flow through the thawed mineral-rich soils, levels of calcium, sodium, phosphorous, magnesium, and sulfates are added to the water. The impacts of the chemical changes to the water have yet to be fully understood. According to the Alaska-Canada Yukon River Inter-Tribal Watershed Council, the erosion is also increasing the amount of sediment in the water, which impacts the drinking-water filter systems in some communities along the river.

Source: "Multidecadel increases in the Yukon River Basin of chemical fluxes as indicators of changing flowpaths, groundwater, and permafrost" by R.C. Toohey, N.M Herman-Mercer, P.F. Schuster, E.A. Mutter, and J.C. Koch This research also referenced in the Alaska Dispatch News article "Permafrost thaw altering chemistry of Yukon River, signaling profound changes for entire basin"

This observation has been shared with US Geological Survey research staff, and Yukon River Inter Tribal Watershed Council

Resources:

National Park Service: Inventory & Monitoring (I&M) – Arctic Network: "The I&M Program is a major component of the National Park Service’s strategy to improve park management through greater reliance on scientific information. The Arctic Network collects, compiles and synthesizes scientific information about national parks in northwestern Alaska in order to facilitate their preservation, unimpaired, for future generations." (Source: U.S. Department of the Interior)

Video:

Thawing Permafrost -- Changing Planet – Because of a warming atmosphere, permafrost -- the frozen ground that covers the top of the world -- has been thawing rapidly over the last three decades. But there is cause for concern beyond the far north, because the carbon released from thawing permafrost could raise global temperatures even higher. Source: The Changing Planet Video Series explores the impact that climate change is having on our planet, and is provided by the National Science Foundation Science360 Video & NBC Learn. (Dec 2012)

Thermokarst in Alaska's Arctic: Arctic Network Inventory and Monitoring Program – Permafrost underlies most of Alaska's Arctic and affects nearly everything in the arctic ecosystem. Thawing of permafrost produces pits, ponds, lakes, slumps and landslides. Dave Swanson, NPS terrestrial ecologist, takes you on an exploration of thermokarst features (thaw slumps) and explains how NPS monitors change in thermokarst (thaw slumps), in Alaska's most northern parks. For more information on thermokarst and other permafrost related features visit, National Park Service, Arctic Network. (Dec 2012)