The Kuskokwim River breakup front has shifted downstream to somewhere between Kalskag and Tuluksak. The River Watch team is flying this afternoon to locate the jam and report on river conditions.
Dwayne Hoffman of Upper Kalskag says when he woke up this morning, the ice, all jumbled, was moving past the village.
“The river ice is bank to bank, moving steady and fast. Water levels are kind of high, but we still have some room for higher water levels, if it ever does jam up or stops down river somewhere.”
Tuesday the front was caught between Crooked Creek and Georgetown. Wednesday it had moved to Chuathbaluk and was holding back about 30 miles of river ice. Then, last night, the water suddenly rose six feet within a half hour, surging the icy front downstream.
Mark Leary of Napaimute says by midnight, the water levels had dropped in front of the village site and Chuathbaluk, leaving stranded ice on the banks and beaches. By this morning, the water was near summer time levels.
From Tuluksak downriver, the ice cover is dark and rotting but still holding.
Far upriver, the ice has started moving past Sleetmute. It’s unknown what this upriver ice, often called black ice, will bring.
Leary says it can sit low in the water: hard, clear, sharp and a danger to boats.
It can gather sticks and logs on its way down, bringing driftwood to the Lower River.
It can surge the water, raising the river several feet.
Or it can just melt away.
The River Watch team will provide an update of the Kuskokwim conditions later today.
Timelapse of the Kuskokwim River Breakup in Aniak on May 3, 2017.
River Report from 9 p.m. Wednesday, May 3:
Kuskokwim River ice conditions are changing fast.
The Kuskokwim breakup front has moved from Georgetown to about seven miles east of Chuathbaluk. The Kuskokwim River Watch team reports, as of Wednesday, the jam is backing up several miles, with chunk and pan ice.
But it might not hold for long. By Wednesday evening Chuathbaluk was reporting that the ice was moving and water levels had suddenly risen six feet.
Around this time, a significant ice run also began moving past Napaimute. Water levels were rising and the current quickening.
Upstream of Chuathbaulk, the river is mostly open water, except for a minor breakup front caught below Crooked Creek at Rabbit Island.
Downstream of Chuathbaulk, the river is also largely open, from the Aniak Airport to Crow Village. In-place ice takes over from Crow Village to Birch Crossing. Then open water returns at the bottom half of Birch Crossing. In-place sheet ice once again takes over as you move toward Kalskag.
Far upriver, the ice is still in place at McGrath. The River Watch Team reports there are likely numerous areas of ice yet to move downriver.
