Tag: Drought 2019

After months of drought, Chignik Lagoon’s wells have finally filled with water

Over the summer, drought and damages to Chignik Lagoon’s water distribution system left the village without drinkable water. The state issued a boil water...

When drought came to the rainforest, Metlakatla adapted | Alaska Insight

Alaska’s vast geography features dramatic precipitation variation from the relatively dry arctic to the rainforests of the southeast, but a changing climate is causing problems in some unexpected ways.

Metlakatla, which depends on water, has moved quickly to accommodate the realities of drought

Following a season of drought, the Southeast Alaska community of Metlakatla is navigating a different relationship with water, like a number of other places in the region.

Metlakatla adapts to drought with grassroots conservation efforts

When you think of extremely dry conditions, California wildfires probably come to mind. But in 2018, some parts of...

LISTEN: Southeast’s “extreme drought” is over, but there are still concerns about water conservation

Southeast communities are working to adapt to a problem they never imagined-- drought. This week on Talkf of Alaska we discuss community health, water conservation in a rainforest and the climate model forecasts for the future.
Wrangell’s mayor. Steve Prysunka. circulated this image on social media. It shows the lack of water running into Wrangell’s reservoirs. (Photo Courtesy of City of Wrangell)

Rains erase last of ‘severe drought’ in Southeast as conditions improve statewide

Places like Ketchikan, Wrangell and as far north as Juneau are still in “moderate drought.”

A prolonged drought depleted Southeast Alaska hydroelectric lakes — and they still haven’t fully recovered

The Southeast Alaska Power Agency’s hydro plants at Swan Lake and Tyee Lake provide some of the electricity for Ketchikan, Wrangell and Petersburg.

New UAF climate report highlights rapidly changing Alaska ecosystems

Shorter sea ice and snow seasons mean there’s less ice and snow to cool the air and the land, so the impacts of warming trends are more apparent.
Seldovia, AK. (Photo via KBBI - Homer)

Seldovia’s water supply returns to normal

While the city’s reservoir has returned to a healthy level, residents and businesses are still trying to repair the damage and plan for the future.

Nanwalek residents worry ‘if this is the future of no water’

The Kenai Peninsula village is one of six Alaska communities that have dealt with water shortages this summer, a season of record heat and dryness.
Seldovia, AK. (Photo via KBBI - Homer)

Alaska communities used to have plenty of fresh water. Then came severe drought

After an unprecedented summer drought drained reservoirs and wells across Alaska, hundreds of people face immediate water shortages — and lingering questions about the future.

It’s finally going to rain in Southcentral Alaska

Two low pressure systems are headed toward Anchorage in the coming week.

Nanwalek is rapidly running out of water

A Kenai Peninsula village is rapidly running out of water. Low snowpack and little rainfall has led Nanwalek to declare a water emergency.

Water shortage looms in Chignik Lagoon

A boil water notice has been in effect since July 2. As of Thursday, residents had only 5,000 gallons of drinkable water left.

51 homes burned from McKinley fire, 3 businesses, 80 outbuildings

Officials dealing with the McKinley fire burning between Willow and Talkeetna released an assessment Friday of damage since the blaze ignited last weekend.

Experts: Heat and drought, not spruce beetles or leaf miners, turned Alaska forests into kindling

There are more insects in the forest than other years, but experts say climate is the biggest factor for fires.
smoke billows from a spruce forest, seen from above

This August is extremely abnormal, and fire likes it

Usually by August, peak fire season has passed. But fire and climate experts say conditions in Southcentral Alaska were nearly perfect for fire this weekend, from the sky to the dry forest floor.

Haines water department works to keep water flowing from Lily Lake amid drought

Dry weather and low snowpack have reduced the amount of water in Lily Lake to historically low levels this summer. The lake is one of the main drinking water sources for Haines.

Alaska’s summer heatwave

How has this summer affected marine mammal, fish and seabird populations? And what does the hot weather mean for the state as Alaskans adapt to the reality of climate change? We'll discuss the summer heat wave on the next Talk of Alaska.

Drought increases in SE Alaska while July temps break records

Southeast Alaska has suffered from a drought and warmer-than-normal temperatures for about two years now. The month of July broke more records in the region.