Elim

After severe flooding from Storm Merbok, the waters have recided leaving the town digging out a giant sand box.

GOLOVIN RESIDENTS ARE IN CLEANUP MODE as their community works to restore power, phone service and clear debris. After the flood waters receded from the weekend’s severe fall storm, some locals are left with feet of sand in their homes. “At my place we’ve got three feet of sand we’re still shoveling out with the crew here, trying to get the sand out of the living area so we can get the sheetrock to go ahead and dry off,” Alaska Senator Donny Olson of Golovin said.

The cormorants moved in when the peregrins did not return this year. "We believe (they did not return) because of the bird flu."

Many boats had to be secured & moved this morning. Hoping winds & rain slow down, but in the forecast.

There were a plenty of what appeared to be juvenile dead stickle back fish on the top of the embankment of a few ponds.

Over the past five days there have been increasing reports of unusual behavior in a variety of bird species including brant goose, snow goose, white-fronted goose, and Canada goose.

There are at least 10 or more what appears to be otherwise healthy trees that have just fallen over.

Video shows unusual circling behavior of a brant goose filmed by a local hunter near Golovin, Alaska. Although the cause is unknown, this type of behavior is according to USGS, "highly suggestive" of an infection with Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza (HPAI).

"We used to have snowmobile races on the ocean ice in front of Elim during the first weekend in April but we cannot have any races this year."

"We lost internet and a power outage effected several residential homes and businesses. Of course there was no way to travel. Thankfully no medical emergencies."

Unusual mid summer storm in Golovin and local observations about changes in the salmon harvest.

"While on a field trip for work, we stopped at the beach and you can notice hundreds of dead clams and star fish littering the beach."

Early snowmelt and low precipitation have led to low river water levels on the southern Seward Peninsula. Low water levels may be a contributing factor in observations of poor fishing, and poor fish health, along the western coast of Alaska.

Local reports on the big storm system hitting northern and western Alaska.

Concern about permafrost thaw and possible impacts to underground water and wastewater lines.

Warmer summers in Alaska means that extra precautions are needed to keep fish cool from the time of harvest until it has been processed and put away.

We observed more than 50 otherwise healthy (not spawned out) dead fish including pink and chum salmon and white fish

Warm water near Golovin is hurting pink salmon. Many salmon caught had red speckled dots on flesh, raising concerns about food safety. Female pink salmon were seen dead in the bay.

When the green water is here, its dangerous to travel straight across the Lagoon to White Mountain. In the past we took the land route, cross on Kitchavik river and on up over land to White Mountain.