Daily Archives: May 3, 2015

Ice in Front of Aniak Slides Down Leaving a 100′ Open Lead – courtesy Megan Leary

After days of rotting-in-place ice at Aniak, there was a little excitement this evening – but just for a short time. The main ice in front of town slid downstream a bit leaving a 100′ wide open lead. Then that was it – no other movement before dark.

Here was the water level at Aniak as of 1900 hrs:

picture courtesy of Megan Leary

The leading edge of the Upper Kuskokwim (McGrath area) ice reached Napaimute about 1800 hrs. There is some wood in this ice run but still far below normal. It looks like this ice and wood will catch up to the original ice still holding at Aniak and all come down with the rest of break up. Maybe some of the wood will get hung up when the ice at Aniak moves down and the water levels drop.

Water levels were rising at Napaimute and some of the ice stuck on the beach was floating off.  At the time of this report (2345) the River was about 40% full of ice.

2116 hrs Upper Kuskokwim Ice Filling Up the River at Napaimute

That’s the report for 5-3-15

Upper Kuskokwim (McGrath Area) Ice Passing Red Devil this Afternoon – courtesy Ruby Egrass

Report from Susan Hubbard in Sleetmute:
“Mcgrath ice started running past Sleetmute Saturday night at 11:00pm and is
still running at 12:45pm on Sunday (today).  Little or no change in water
level.  ice is small chunks and slush – no woody debris seen.”

Report from Ruby Egrass in Red Devil: “We have a lot more ice coming down than we did yesterday, must be McGrath ice and the water level is now higher than when we had breakup, a lot of the ice on the sandbars and shore is now falling into the river.”

13:12 PM -Looking Straight Across the River at Red Devil – courtesy Ruby Egrass

5-3 Early Morning River at Aniak – courtesy of Lisa Feyereisen

The Kuskokwim River above Chuathbaluk is pretty much ice free but there is ice piled along both sides of the River making it difficult to land a boat anywhere for miles and miles. Also there is no wood coming down.

There has been little change in the River at Chuathbaluk, Aniak, and both Kalskags over the past two days – except for slowly rising water. The ice at Chuathbaluk moved for a short time on Friday but then jammed in the Owhat River area a few miles below the village.

Aniak area ice appears to be rotting in place. Kalskag this morning reports that water has risen high enough that there is no more beach left.

That’s the report for the morning of May 3rd.

Ice is piled on the beaches for miles and miles above Chuathbaluk

Looking for ducks along the ice covered beaches