An ice jam on the Yukon River has raised water levels at Eagle. A few low lying areas of the river side community were reported flooded Wednesday morning from the jam about 9 miles downstream. National Weather Service hydrologist Ed Plumb said conditions are not conducive to serious flooding.
“It’s been quite warm with above freezing temperatures for the past month,” Plumb said. “Though a lot of the snow pack has melted off, especially all the low elevation snow, so there’s no big push of snow melt coming into the river.”
Plum expects the jam to release, noting that downstream, there’s a 12 mile stretch of open water where the Kandik River flows into the Yukon. He adds there is some concern ice could hang up again as the Yukon spreads out and shallows near Circle.
“The ice is weaker and tin and rotting though we’re hoping this surge of water just kinda pushes the ice out past Circle and not be any problems,” said Plumb. “But we will be flying in the next couple days monitring Circle and then also working our way down to Ft. Yukon.”
Plum says this year’s break up is not happening in the more common upriver to downriver pattern, and areas of the lower Yukon are already open.
Dan Bross is a reporter at KUAC in Fairbanks.
