Noatak

High water throughout the summer continues to erode the river bank.

Erosion of the shoreline on Well Island is threatening the water line that connects the village of Noatak to their water supply. The Tribal Health System is coordinating with the federal agencies and state and borough to support water supply needs and repairs.

LEO Member Jeffrey Luther has been documenting erosion along the Noatak River for many years. His drone footage this spring captures new bank erosion features and icicle formations.

Heavy rains have elevated river levels throughout August and September. High water continues to erode the river bank in the community. The photos show a tree that was 22 feet from the edge is know 3 feet. Total erosion has reached 91 ft. by old landfill and new mark shows 112 ft. marker.

The river in Noatak is slowly cutting away parts of the road. This is an on going problem and the observation by Jeffrey Luther provides the latest in a series about erosion and related impacts.

This post is an update on the river erosion situation in Noatak, where a new channel is being cut by the Noatak River.

As the river changes and erosion happens along the banks, new channels are being formed around the community.

Permafrost thaw in Noatak is causing the condition of the grave site to degrade. A trench has formed and crosses are tipping over.

The heavy rains and high water from storm Murdok today and Monday are contributing to the erosion of the old landfill and river bank.

Community gravel source and old dump site threated by erosion.

The collapse was documented with drone imagery as was a permafrost rebound signature in the river water.

As the spring snow melt the flooding cuts away the bank more every day. This observation includes photos showing the location of the community water source, transmission line.

Noatak has lost 19' of river bank since May 19th. Now the road to the community gravel source is failing.

A fisherman was coming home from fishing last night and noticed (what he thought was) a coffin sticking out of the old gravesite above one of the markers I used to measure erosion with last summer. It turned out to not be a coffin, but rather an old air duct or metal meat trailer.

I'm guessing all the rain we received during summer of 2021 created the trench.

"This year we had a lot more rain than other years, we used to be able to get on our ATVs and travel 10-12 miles upriver. I haven't seen or heard of anyone using ATVs to travel upriver this year. I think the breakthrough channel has a lot to do with us not being able to travel on ATVs. I see a lot of my favorite ATV fishing spots washed away from the highwater."

Community Water System at Risk: Extreme precipitation throughout the summer and sustained high water has resulted in erosion of the location for the water transmission line and Noatak's two water wells.

Unusual high water all summer in Noatak, causing massive erosion towards the airport and old buried landfill, exposing old trash into the river.

Photos show some of the erosion caused by surge of high water in late June on the Noatak River. As of June 29th, 24 feet of bank have been lost adjacent to the Noatak Airport, and 28 feet adjacent to the landfill.