Author Archives: Mark Leary

A New Role for BSAR: Hasty Team Delivers Fire Pumps to Upriver Communities: L- R Eric Pavil, Sam Samuelson, Norman Japhet, James Mute & Clarence Morgan

With wildfires threatening communities from Kalskag to Stony River and state firefighting resources stretched beyond capacity, BSAR responded to the call for additional fire fighting equipment by delivering four fire pumps and hundreds of feet of hose as far as Red Devil.

The BSAR hasty team made the 560 round trip from Bethel to Red Devil in less than 24 hours. They traveled through many miles of visibility less than 1/2 mile from the heavy smoke and areas where fire was actually burning right along the Riverbank.

These dedicated men traveled throughout the day and night stopping only for a short time in Red Devil to deliver the fire fighting equipment and eat. They finally took a short rest in Napaimute on the down bound trip early Friday morning.

Great work by a great crew.

The People Upriver wish to extend a big thanks to BSAR – especially Mike Riley, Earl Samuelson, Sam Samuelson, Norman Japhet, Clarence Morgan, Eric Pavil, and James Mute.

BSAR takes a quick look at the miles and miles of burned riverbank below Crooked Creek

The River Watch team flew this morning downriver to Napakiak  and  this
evening upriver to Chuathbaluk

Down river from Bethel, looks pretty clear between Napakiak and Napaskiak.
Johnson River is still not accessible by boat.

Up river from Bethel,  water at Aniak was up about two feet today from
yesterday. The Breakup
front has moved to just below Aniak today.  From Aniak to Kalskag continuing
to Coffee Bend  there is lots of original ice holding and
rotting in place.   Kalskag reports some shifting of ice in front of the
village today but the ice is not changed much.

Moving down River towards Bethel from the ice front there is lots of  stretches
of open water and  some ice
rotting in place. Tuluksak River still has ice and ice in the channel at the
mouth of the Tuluksak. Gweek River looks pretty clear. There is a new opening
in the ice at the “y” today that was not there yesterday. Tony Hall’s bend is
clear. Nelson Island channels are both plugged today with ice.  A little bit of
ice movement in front of Akiak today and water level there was reported to have
come up a little. Ice sill in place between Akiak and Akiachak.

Water levels remain low.

Wednesday  the River Watch team will fly to the ice front  near Aniak from
Bethel around
3:00pm

Ice Reports on KYUK and follow on twitter @ #akriverwatch
Or call/text RiverWatch cell 907-444-9517

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

Ice has been running at Napaimute for over 12 hours. Starting to thin out and current is slowing down. A lot of ice is stuck on the beach.

Ice shifting above Chuathbaluk but still holding in front of the village – picture courtesy of Vernon Peterson

Rising River at Aniak picture courtesy Megan Leary

Vernon Peterson, Chuathbaluk reports: ” checked around 10:00 this morning, the water level came up about 4 or 5 feet then went back down. This pile up is by Jim Smiths place, and above Chuathbaluk behind the island.”

Other Reports from further up:

4-30-15 Ray Collins, McGrath: “The ice moved here about 1PM and by five it was running freely.  It has not stopped so must be moving on downriver.  Have not heard a pilots report yet.  The North Fork may be holding above Medfra but  no report.  The South Fork is now clear from Nikolai to Medfra.  And they reported from Takotna that the ice is moving there but it has not reached the mouth across from MCgrath yet. The pans are also breaking up as they go by McGrath and some of the pieces are just candle ice.”

4-30-15 Kevin Gusty, Stony River: “It has been Raining and I was Correct the ice mostly melted and people are using boats .”

5-1-15 Barb Carlson, Sleetmute: “The ice moved out last night between Sleetmute and Red Devil and this morning there are only a few small pieces floating past.  Water never came up much at all and went right back down after the ice passed.  The Holitna is also open.”

5-1-15 Evelyn Thomas, Crooked Creek, “Ice has been running full since last night, we still have 3/4 river full with ice, water is low and no danger!!! YAY!”

No other reports at this time.