A dozer pushes through a bypass for flooded Kenny Blvd.

Mat-Su Borough 4:23 pm, Sept. 30—Just a day after swollen Willow Creek took a bite out of Kenny Boulevard during heavy rainfall, a dozer is already smoothing out a bypass route to help free residents from overnight isolation.

Two vehicles idled in anticipation of the road reopening today at an expected 6 pm. Twenty or more residents live, visit cabins, or work there, said Casey Cook, Mat-Su Borough Emergency Manager.

Public Works Director Terry Dolan said the new route is not a solution to the erosion problem.
"We're making a bypass road farther to the right from the river, taking the native material and flattening it out and adding gravel appropriate for a road surface," Dolan said. "This is not a solution to the erosion problem. It's in a flood zone, so there isn't an easy solution to this. It's not a borough-maintained road."

Six roads were closed last night due to rivers and creeks reaching or surpassing flood levels and spilling onto roadways. Another road has been added to the list of trouble: Trapper Creek is now flowing over the top of Trappers Drive in Trapper Creek just north of Petersville Road, said Dolan at 5 pm. The water depth is approximately eight inches. Trappers Drive remains open to traffic at this time.

Dolan said these roads have been reopened:
• Deneki Drive in Willow
• N. Burrows Street in Willow
• Kenny Boulevard by possibly 6 pm tonight in Willow

The roads that remain closed are:
• Romano Ave in Talkeetna
• W. Johnson Drive in Willow
• Oilwell Road in Trapper Creek

Emergency Manager Cook said an assessment found that four homes were affected by water on River Aire Drive, which was less than expected.

The Emergency Operations Center staff returned to their regular work this morning after river and creek levels dropped a foot or more overnight, and water receded from roadways. The EOC staff is on standby for Thursday night and Friday due to the forecasted rain in yesterday's flooded area.

Bottom Photo: In the EOC, left to right: Emergency Services Director Bill Gamble, Water Rescue Chief Gary Klink, GIS Eric Goudey, Public Works Director Terry Dolan, Operations Section Chief Rich Boothby, and Emergency Manager Casey Cook. Photo by Patty Sullivan/MSB PIO.
For more information contact, PIO Patty Sullivan, 355-0103, psullivan@matsugov.us

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Emergency Ops Center Deactivates in Mat-Su

Mat-Su Borough, Sept. 30, 10 am—Rivers crested and dropped a foot in places over night. Six roads remain closed as Mat-Su Borough Public Works assesses the road damages from water. "If the roads are safe to travel, the barricades are coming down," said Terry Dolan, Deputy Operations Chief in the Emergency Operations Center.

Borough officials are also assessing the number of potentially flooded homes and cabins in Willow and Houston. Last night the figure was up to possibly 10 homes in Willow that had water up to their foundations.

The Emergency Operations Center deactivated this morning, sending staff back to regular work, but remaining on standby for possible rain Thursday night and Friday.

Here is a link to a video of Kenny Boulevard today (Wed. Sept. 30) after the water dropped 16 inches, shot by Willow Fire Chief Mahlon Greene.

As of 12:45 pm, N. Burrows Street reopened.

Here is a link to the river levels by NOAA, National Oceanic & Atmospheric Administration.

The call center is deactivated until further notice. Updates on the MatSu Flooding event will be posted here and on the Borough facebook page.

Here is the latest road closure map Sept. 30 with the only changes being the removal of some flood reports at river gauges.

"Because this not a declared disaster, there's no emergency funds. The biggest challenge now will be paying for road repairs," Dolan said. "Kenny Boulevard, alone, will likely cost tens of thousands of dollars."

Patty Sullivan, PIO, Mat-Su Borough, 355-0103, psullivan@matsugov.us
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Flooding at 10 homes, Six Roads Closed

Mat-Su | Patty Sullivan | Tuesday, September 29, 2015

Six roads are closed in the Matanuska-Susitna Borough from flooding. Up to 10 homes or cabins in the Willow area of N. Burrow St. and River-Aire Drive are flooded or surrounded by water. Some of the residents have opted to leave their homes. 

In the Houston area, on Maid Marian Drive one home is at risk for flooding and two homes are near rising water, according to Borough Emergency Manager Casey Cook.

The Emergency Operations Center was activated at 2:30 pm Tuesday and continues to monitor water levels.

The National Weather Service has forecasting for when the rivers will crest at this link: Hydrology Link

Most rivers and creeks here are expected to crest between now and 6 pm Wednesday.

Please do not drive across a flooded road. It takes only a few inches of swiftly flowing water to carry vehicles away, according to the National Weather Service. Turn around don’t drown.

View a short video on Johnson Drive by EMS Chief Glenn Stevens

Johson Drive Sept 29

View more videos on the MatSu Flooding 2015 YoutTube channel.

A list of pet friendly hotels is posted for residents who may need to leave their homes.

The call center number is 907 861-8328.

The PIO, public information officer desk is (907) 861-8521

The emergency recorded hotline is (907) 761-3700

The Emergency Operations Center is closing at 10 pm tonight, Sept. 29, and reopening at 8 am. 

Flooding Map 11PM Sept. 29 

Pet Friendly Lodging 

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Road Closures Map

Here's a new map by Borough GIS of what roads are affected by flooding. Six roads are closed. Several areas are reporting water on the road or near the road.

Hotels that allow pets

Mat-Su | Patty Sullivan | Tuesday, September 29, 2015

 

Mat-Su Borough Animal Care has compiled a list of pet friendly local hotels for residents who may decide to stay somewhere else overnight due to flooding. Here's the list.

The Borough has opened an emergency call center for questions beyond the road maps and updates on facebook and borough press releases. The call center is (907) 861-8328.

The Borough activated an Emergency Operations Center at 2:30 pm today.

pio Patty Sullivan 861-8521
Pet Friendly Hotels

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Map of Roads of Concern in Flooding

Mat-Su | Patty Sullivan | Tuesday, September 29, 2015

 

Here is a map showing the roads where water may be crossing the road or rising to flooding level.  If you live near these roads please have a back up plan for tonight. Access may be limited if the flooding worsens. The weather forecast has rain turning to snow tonight.

Map where water may be crossing

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EOC to open at 2:30 pm

Mat-Su | Patty Sullivan | 2:30PM Tuesday, September 29, 2015

 

The Mat-Su Borough is activating an EOC, Emergency Operations Center, at 2:30 pm today. A map of roads with flooding has been posted and will be updated.

The emergency we are responding to and posting information on is now named "Mat-Su Flooding Sept. 2015." The Borough will be posting information regularly on facebook and the borough website.

If you live in an area near a flooding road, check on your property and have a backup plan for tonight.

In a worst case scenario, if water is on your only road in, you may want to gather the essentials: family, pets, important papers, and medicines, and stay somewhere else tonight. Consider the access to and from your home and whether that access could be blocked by water.
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Borough Monitoring Minor Flooding

Mat-Su | Patty Sullivan | 10:45 am Tuesday, September 29, 2015

Emergency responders with the Mat-Su Borough are monitoring high water. The weather is expected to change to snow and then become clear by Thursday, however, in flood prone areas you should always have a backup plan for flooding. Please do not drive across a flooded road. It takes only a few inches of swiftly flowing water to carry vehicles away, according to the National Weather Service.
Areas of concern include:

• Willow, Burrows Road off of Willow Hatcher Pass Road has water running across about 50 feet wide, a foot deep. The road is impassable. Do not cross this road in a vehicle.
• Welch Way at Little Susitna River has been washed out. Water is over the road.
• Yoder Road has water flowing on both sides from Montana Creek
• Kenny Boulevard is eroding into Willow Creek. The creek bank is rising onto the road.
• Montana Creek at the Parks Highway bridge is in a minor flood stage. 
• Little Susitna River has minor flooding below the Hatcher Pass bridge gauge and is in the action stage at the Parks Highway
• Willow Creek is in near flood stage at the Parks Highway
• Talkeetna River is in the near flood stage at the railroad bridge gauge. Above the railroad bridge the river is in a no flooding stage.
• Moose Creek at Oilwell Road has minor flooding but the water is not damaging the road at this point.

If you are in danger from flooding call 911.

Updates will be posted here.
The forecast predicts the rain changing to snow in the Susitna Valley, with snow tonight near Talkeetna and Denali. By Wednesday the forecast is cloudy, and Thursday is expected to be clear.
The Matanuska Valley forecast includes rain today and snow after 7 pm. Snow in the morning Wed. turning to cloudy and clear by Thursday, according to the National Weather Service.

Want to monitor local rivers? The National Weather Service maintains an series of water level gauges on key creeks and rivers at the Advanced Hydrologic Prediction Service.

For updates, a hotline is set up at (907) 761-3700.
For more information call Public Affairs Director Patty Sullivan, psullivan@matsugov.us 861-8577

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