Weather

...HIGH WATER CONTINUES ON INTERIOR ALASKA RIVERS...

THE WATER FROM HEAVY RAINS OF LAST WEEK HAS MOVED OUT OF STREAMS
AND INTO LARGER RIVERS. THE NENANA RIVER HAS A FLOOD ADVISORY,
WITH MINOR FLOODING OCCURING IN THE CITY OF NENANA, AND THAT
FLOODING IS EXPECTED TO CONTINUE FOR SEVERAL MORE DAYS. THE TANANA
RIVER HAS A FLOOD ADVISORY FROM SHAW CREEK ALL THE WAY TO THE
CITY OF TANANA WITH FLOODING IN LOW LYING AREAS ALONG THE TANANA
RIVER, WHICH WILL LAST FOR SEVERAL MORE DAYS. THIS INCLUDES THE
AREAS ALONG THE OLD RICH HIGHWAY IN SALCHA, THE ROSIE CREEK
SUBDIVISION NEAR FAIRBANKS, AREAS NEAR NENANA AND MANLEY HOT
SPRINGS.

THE LITTLE CHENA AND GOODPASTER RIVERS CRESTED SAT BELOW BANKFULL
AND THE THREAT OF FLOODING IS OVER ON BOTH OF THOSE RIVERS. THE
UPPER CHENA RIVER CRESTED SATURDAY AT MINOR FLOOD STAGE, AND THE
CHENA RIVER NEAR HUNTS CREEK CRESTED SUNDAY NEAR MINOR FLOOD
STAGE, AND WATER AT BOTH OF THOSE LOCATIONS REMAINS HIGH BUT IS
FALLING SLOWLY. THE CHENA RIVER AT THE MOOSE CREEK DAM IS CRESTING
NOW AT MINOR FLOOD STAGE AND WILL REMAIN THAT HIGH TODAY. THE DAM
BEGAN OPERATION SUNDAY NIGHT AND WILL KEEP WATERS BACKED UP
THROUGH TODAY AT LEAST. THE CHENA RIVER BETWEEN THE DAM AND
FAIRBANKS WILL CREST TODAY BELOW BANKFULL, BUT WILL REMAIN HIGH
FOR SEVERAL MORE DAYS. MINOR FLOODING IN THE STEAMBOAT LANDING AND
FREEMAN ROAD AREAS IS EXPECTED, AS WELL AS ALONG OTHER OLD
SLOUGHS ALONG THE CHENA RIVER. THE SALCHA RIVER CRESTED AND BEGAN
TO FALL SUNDAY, AND THE RIVER LEVELS WILL CONTINUE TO FALL
THROUGH WEDNESDAY.


GROUND WATER FLOODING INTO BASEMENTS IS OCCURING IN THE SALCHA
AREA, AND COULD OCCUR IN NORTH POLE AND FAIRBANKS, AND AT ANY LOW
LYING AREAS ALONG THE TANANA RIVER AND THE CHENA RIVER. THE WATER
TABLE IN ALL OF THESE AREAS WILL REMAIN HIGH FOR AT LEAST SEVERAL
MORE DAYS.

THE CHENA RIVER IN FAIRBANKS IS ONLY 4 AND A HALF FEET BELOW THE
BARNETTE STREET BRIDGE, AND ALSO CLOSE TO THE BASE OF THE PEGER
ROAD AND UNIVERSITY AVENUE BRIDGES. MANY POWER BOATS ARE TOO TALL
TO MAKE IT UNDER THESE BRIDGES, AND ALL BOATERS SHOULD BE VERY
CAUTIOUS.

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN FAIRBANKS HAS ISSUED A

* FLOOD ADVISORY FOR...
MINOR FLOODING ALONG THE TANANA RIVER FROM SHAW CREEK TO NORTH
POLE.

* UNTIL 545 AM AKDT TUESDAY.

* THE TANANA RIVER IS BANKFULL DOWNSTREAM OF SHAW CREEK, AND MAY
FLOW OVER THE BANK IS SOME AREAS, ESPECIALLY DOWNSTREAM OF THE
SALCHA RIVER. IN ADDITION, GROUND WATER IS RISING TO THE SURFACE
MANY AREAS, AND PEOPLE HAVE REPORTED FLOODING IN BASEMENTS IN THE
AREA NEAR THE SALCHA STORE.

* SOME LOCATIONS THAT WILL EXPERIENCE MINOR FLOODING OR GROUNDWATER
FLOODING INCLUDE LOW LYING AREAS BETWEEN THE TANANA RIVER AND THE
RICHARDSON HIGHWAY FROM SHAW CREEK TO NORTH POLE, INCLUDING THE
SALCHA AREA. THE TANANA RIVER IN THIS AREA WILL BE CRESTING TODAY,
SO FLOODING WILL BE AT ITS WORST TODAY, AND THEN SLOWLY RECEED
OVER THE NEXT SEVERAL DAYS. GROUNDWATER FLOODING WILL REMAIN FOR
AT LEAST SEVERAL MORE DAYS.

* IMPACTS ARE EXPECTED TO BE FLOODING IN BASEMENTS, AND FLOODING OF
SOME DRIVEWAYS AND ROADS IN LOW LYING AREAS BETWEEN THE RICHARDSON
HIGHWAY AND THE TANANA RIVER FROM SHAW CREEK TO THE CHENA FLOOD
CONTROL PROJECT. THE CITY OF NORTH POLE IS PROTECTED BY A DIKE AND
WILL NOT SEE FLOODING, BUT BASEMENTS AND CRAWL SPACES OF HOMES IN
NORTH POLE COULD GET GROUND WATER FLOODING OVER THE NEXT SEVERAL
DAYS.

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN FAIRBANKS HAS EXTENDED THE

* FLOOD ADVISORY FOR MINOR FLOODING IN POOR DRAINAGE AREAS FOR...
THE TANANA RIVER FROM FAIRBANKS TO EAST OF THE TANANA TOWN SITE...

* UNTIL 145 PM AKDT WEDNESDAY.

* THE TANANA RIVER AT FAIRBANKS CRESTED LATE SUNDAY NIGHT AND BEGAN
TO RECEDE MONDAY MORNING, BUT WILL REMAIN HIGH THROUGH AT LEAST
TUESDAY MORNING.

* THE TANANA AT NENANA IS CRESTING THIS AFTERNOON, BUT WILL REMAIN
STEADY INTO TUESDAY. THE RIVER WILL BEGIN FALLING TUESDAY
AFTERNOON BUT WILL REMAIN ABOVE MINOR FLOOD STAGE UNTIL WEDNESDAY
AFTERNOON. AFTERWARD, RIVER LEVELS WILL REMAIN HIGH THROUGH THE
REST OF THE WEEK.

* LOW LYING AREAS ALONG THE TANANA RIVER, INCLUDING THE ROSIE CREEK
SUBDIVISION IN FAIRBANKS, ARE CURRENTLY EXPERIENCING MINOR
FLOODING.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

TURN AROUND, DON'T DROWN WHEN ENCOUNTERING FLOODED ROADS. MOST FLOOD
DEATHS OCCUR IN VEHICLES.

STAY AWAY OR BE SWEPT AWAY. RIVER BANKS AND CULVERTS CAN BECOME
UNSTABLE AND UNSAFE.

A FLOOD ADVISORY MEANS RIVER OR STREAM FLOWS ARE ELEVATED, OR
PONDING OF WATER IN URBAN OR OTHER AREAS IS OCCURRING OR IS IMMINENT.



PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

TURN AROUND, DON'T DROWN WHEN ENCOUNTERING FLOODED ROADS. MOST FLOOD
DEATHS OCCUR IN VEHICLES.

STAY AWAY OR BE SWEPT AWAY. RIVER BANKS AND CULVERTS CAN BECOME
UNSTABLE AND UNSAFE.

A FLOOD ADVISORY MEANS RIVER OR STREAM FLOWS ARE ELEVATED, OR PONDING
OF WATER IN URBAN OR OTHER AREAS IS OCCURRING OR IS IMMINENT.

&&

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN FAIRBANKS HAS EXTENDED THE

* FLOOD WARNING FOR...
THE CHENA RIVER BASIN UPSTREAM OF THE MOOSE CREEK DAM.

* UNTIL 130 PM AKDT TUESDAY.

* WATER LEVELS HAVE CRESTED, AND WILL REMAIN CONSTANT THROUGH
TONIGHT. WATER LEVELS WILL THEN SLOWLY DIMINISH LATE TUESDAY.

* THE MOOSE CREEK DAM IS CURRENTLY OPERATING. THE DAM WILL BE
REGULATING THE CHENA RIVER SO FLOWS DO NOT EXCEED 12,000 CUBIC
FEET PER SECOND IN DOWNTOWN FAIRBANKS. LOW LYING AREAS NEAR THE
CHENA RIVER MAY EXPERIENCE MINOR FLOODING, AND GROUNDWATER WILL
RISE TO NEAR THE GROUND SURFACE FOR SEVERAL THOUSAND FEET WEST OF
THE MOOSE CREEK DAM. RIVER NAVIGATION THROUGH THE MOOSE CREEK DAM
WILL BE UNAVAILABLE DURING OPERATION.

* AREAS ALONG THE UPPER CHENA RIVER, INCLUDING THE CHENA RIVER
RECREATION AREA, WILL SEE HIGH WATER AND FLOODING INTO TUESDAY.
CAMPGROUNDS AND BOAT LAUNCHES ALONG THE RIVER WILL BE INUNDATED.
GRANITE TORS, STILES CREEK, AND OTHER LOW LYING AREAS WILL ALSO BE
FLOODED. INCREASED DEBRIS IS EXPECTED TO MOVE DOWNRIVER AND
SIGNIFICANT EROSION IS POSSIBLE ALONG RIVERBANKS.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

TURN AROUND, DON'T DROWN WHEN ENCOUNTERING FLOODED ROADS. MOST FLOOD
DEATHS OCCUR IN VEHICLES.

A FLOOD WARNING MEANS THAT FLOODING IS IMMINENT OR OCCURRING. ALL
INTERESTED PARTIES SHOULD TAKE NECESSARY PRECAUTIONS IMMEDIATELY.

&&