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The LEO Network is a worldwide network of observers and experts that share their observations of environmental change.
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Observations

Erosion exposing community water line
Erosion is rapidly exposing the community water line. Recent efforts to stabilize the area proved ineffective as gravel is quickly washed away, threatening the water supply infrastructure.
Noatak, Alaska, United States

River erodes road by airport
The Noatak River's persistent erosion is threatening key transportation infrastructure including the adjacent road and airstrip.
Noatak, Alaska, United States
Jeffrey Luther, James Benzschawel, Anna Liljedahl , Russell Cameron

Erosion results in loss of revetment wall
High water on the Noatak River is accelerating erosion and causing the destruction of a decades-old cement pillow revetment wall in Noatak.
Noatak, Alaska, United States
Chris Dankmeyer, Russell Cameron , James Benzschawel, Bailey Richards, Jeffrey Luther, Jacquelyn Overbeck

Spill of treated water reported at Red Dog Mine in Northwest Alaska
Up to 1,000 gallons of water used in mining operations reached a creek and tundra, as an estimated 400,000 gallons spilled into containment areas and a gravel road.
Red Dog Mine, Alaska, United States
Anchorage Daily News

Erosion continues along Noatak River
High water throughout the summer continues to erode the river bank.
Richard L Thoman Jr, Gemini , Jeffrey Luther, Crane Johnson

River erosion threatening community water supply
Erosion of the shoreline on Well Island is threatening the water line that connects the village of Noatak to their water supply. The Tribal Health System is coordinating with the federal agencies and state and borough to support water supply needs and repairs.
Francine Moreno, Christopher Cox, Max Neale, Jeffrey Luther, Chris Dankmeyer, James Benzschawel

Spring bank erosion and icicle formation
LEO Member Jeffrey Luther has been documenting erosion along the Noatak River for many years. His drone footage this spring captures new bank erosion features and icicle formations.

Absence of Tomcods
Erratic temperatures led to the absence of tomcods, severely affecting local fishing.
Kivalina, Alaska, United States
Jacqualine Schaeffer, Janet Mitchell, Chris Dankmeyer, Sarah Yoder

Rain continues to impact Noatak River
Heavy rains have elevated river levels throughout August and September. High water continues to erode the river bank in the community. The photos show a tree that was 22 feet from the edge is know 3 feet. Total erosion has reached 91 ft. by old landfill and new mark shows 112 ft. marker.
Jeffrey Luther, Richard L Thoman Jr, Michelle McAuley

DOT to evaluate cracks on Kivalina evacuation road
Kivalina residents report cracks on the sides of the recently built evacuation road which connects the village to the storm refuge site and the school. The team with the Alaska Department of Transportation & Public Facilities plans to visit the village and assess the damages at the end of August.
Kivalina, Alaska, United States
Anchorage Daily News

Highwater brings dramatic erosion
The river in Noatak is slowly cutting away parts of the road. This is an on going problem and the observation by Jeffrey Luther provides the latest in a series about erosion and related impacts.
Sarah Yoder, Jason Norris, Chris Dankmeyer, Jeffrey Luther, Richard L Thoman Jr, Jacqualine Schaeffer, Max Neale

Erosion Impacting Vegetation and Roads
This post is an update on the river erosion situation in Noatak, where a new channel is being cut by the Noatak River.
Jeffrey Luther, Max Neale, Crane Johnson, Anna Liljedahl

Noatak Erosion and River Channel redirection
As the river changes and erosion happens along the banks, new channels are being formed around the community.

Thawing causing cemetery to sink
Permafrost thaw in Noatak is causing the condition of the grave site to degrade. A trench has formed and crosses are tipping over.
Jeffrey Luther, Joanna Barton, Vladimir Romanovsky, Tom Wolforth

Kivalina neighbors banded together to save a house from falling into the sea amid last week’s storm
Kivalina has long dealt with climate change-driven erosion. While the village didn’t feel the effects of heavy flooding, residents are wary of a future with heavy autumn storms.
Kivalina, Alaska, United States
Alaska Public Media
Kavitha George, Alaska Public Media - Anchorage

Up river effect from Typhoon Merbok
The heavy rains and high water from storm Murdok today and Monday are contributing to the erosion of the old landfill and river bank.
Richard L Thoman Jr, Jeffrey Luther, Joy Britt

River erosion threatening old dump site
Community gravel source and old dump site threated by erosion.
Joy Britt, Kayla Nay, Sarah Durand, James Benzschawel, Jeffrey Luther, Erin Nelson, Desirae Mack, Joanna Barton

Huge section of river bank collapses in Noatak
The collapse was documented with drone imagery as was a permafrost rebound signature in the river water.
Edward "Ted" Smith, Edna Bailey, Jeffrey Luther, Joy Britt, Anna Liljedahl , Paul Walton, Hiram Walker, Chris Dankmeyer

Bank erosion putting well and transmission line in danger
As the spring snow melt the flooding cuts away the bank more every day. This observation includes photos showing the location of the community water source, transmission line.
Max Neale, Cody Uhlig, Jeffrey Luther, Joy Britt, Albertha Dallemolle, Edward "Ted" Smith, Jason Norris, Edna Bailey, Kalen Stamp, Chris Dankmeyer, Paul Walton

River erosion threatens road
Noatak has lost 19' of river bank since May 19th. Now the road to the community gravel source is failing.
Joy Britt, Jason Norris, Crane Johnson, Jeffrey Luther, Max Neale, Chris Dankmeyer, Edward "Ted" Smith, Anna Liljedahl , Paul Walton

Still very cold on Noatak
Crane Johnson, Richard L Thoman Jr, Jeffrey Luther

Bank erosion exposing old landfill contents
A fisherman was coming home from fishing last night and noticed (what he thought was) a coffin sticking out of the old gravesite above one of the markers I used to measure erosion with last summer. It turned out to not be a coffin, but rather an old air duct or metal meat trailer.
Chris Dankmeyer, Paul Walton, Tom Wolforth, Jeffrey Luther, Joy Britt

Dangerous sink hole on winter trail - an aftermath of extreme rains
I'm guessing all the rain we received during summer of 2021 created the trench.

Wind gusts in Northwest Alaska pushed away sea ice, caused power outages
Extremely high winds blew over Northwest Alaska this weekend, pushing away ice cover and cutting power in some communities. The storm is expected to be 100 miles west of Utqiagvik by 3 a.m. on Tuesday morning and continue to weaken and drift north after that.
Arctic Sounder

High water this summer changes travel on Noatak River
"This year we had a lot more rain than other years, we used to be able to get on our ATVs and travel 10-12 miles upriver. I haven't seen or heard of anyone using ATVs to travel upriver this year. I think the breakthrough channel has a lot to do with us not being able to travel on ATVs. I see a lot of my favorite ATV fishing spots washed away from the highwater."

Bank erosion putting community water wells and transmission line in danger
Community Water System at Risk: Extreme precipitation throughout the summer and sustained high water has resulted in erosion of the location for the water transmission line and Noatak's two water wells.
Malinda Chase , Max Neale, Chris Dankmeyer, Crane Johnson, John Warren, Paul Walton, Richard L Thoman Jr, Edward "Ted" Smith, Jeffrey Luther, David Beveridge, Joy Britt

Rapid Erosion Exposes Old Landfill
Unusual high water all summer in Noatak, causing massive erosion towards the airport and old buried landfill, exposing old trash into the river.
Max Neale, Paul Walton, David Beveridge, Jeffrey Luther, John Monville, Jacquelyn Overbeck, Crane Johnson, Joy Britt, Chris Dankmeyer, Richard L Thoman Jr

Downstream Erosion after Heavy Rain in Brooks Range
Photos show some of the erosion caused by surge of high water in late June on the Noatak River. As of June 29th, 24 feet of bank have been lost adjacent to the Noatak Airport, and 28 feet adjacent to the landfill.
Jeffrey Luther, Edward "Ted" Smith, Richard L Thoman Jr, Paul Walton, Crane Johnson, Joy Britt, John Monville, Chris Dankmeyer

Erosion impacting wells and transmission line
River erosion in Noatak is posing a threat to wells and transmission lines along the bank as the river ebbs closer.
John Monville, Chris Dankmeyer, Joy Britt, Jeffrey Luther, Paul Walton

Pacific Sand Lance (Ammodytes hexapterus) Make First Appearance
Pacific sand lance can be found along the Western and Southern coasts of Alaska, although their distribution is based on habitat availability. Computer models suggest that there is a low probability this habitat exists near Kivalina.

Coonstripe Shrimp (Pandalus hypsinotis) Found on Beach After Storm
Coonstripe shrimp (*Pandalus hypsinotis*) can be found at a depth of 30-300 feet in Norton Sound. During a strong storm, some washed up on a beach north of their known range.

As Arctic warming accelerates, permafrost thaw hits Alaska mine
The multinational company that operates the Red Dog Mine in Northwest Alaska says that thawing permafrost linked to global warming has forced it to spend nearly $20 million to manage its water storage and discharge.
Red Dog Mine, Alaska, United States
High North News

Erosion and High Water in Noatak
High water in the Noatak River causes erosion near the old dump site.

New Ground Rising from First Lake

Kivalina Floods from Snowmelt
Unusually warm spring temperatures are rapidly melting above average snowpack, leading to flooding.
Millie Hawley, Janet Mitchell, Jacqualine Schaeffer, Ingemar Mathiasson, Richard L Thoman Jr, Chris Dankmeyer

Thawing causing houses to slide sideways
Staircases are separating from building and utility poles leaning.
Jeffrey Luther, John Warren, Chris Dankmeyer, Oxcenia O'Domin, Max Neale, Christopher Dillon, PE, John Monville, Abby Nelson

Sink Hole in Road Impacting Home Foundation
The ground under the new road is developing a sink hole and affecting the foundation of the adjacent house.
Jeffrey Luther, Nellie Wesley, Paul Walton, Mike Brubaker, John Warren, Chris Dankmeyer, John Monville, David Beveridge

Settlement of Water Treatment Plant and Numerous Areas in Community
Ground settling is causing a wide range of impacts in Noatak, including to the water treatment plant. But are there benchmarks to monitor the changes in the water plant?
Noatak Alaska
John Warren, David Beveridge, Nellie Wesley, Vladimir Romanovsky, Brian Menghini, Paul Walton, Chris Dankmeyer, John Monville, Mike Brubaker

Bizarre ice balls found in Arctic Alaska river puzzle locals and scientists
Danny Foster and Mike Hawley of Kivalina were ice fishing outside of town when they came upon something they’d never seen before. Incidentally, similar ice balls or ice eggs were reported on an ocean beach in Finland on the same day.
Anchorage Daily News

Gravesite Sinking
Noatak site experiencing thawing and subsidence.
Paul Walton, Chris Dankmeyer, Tom Wolforth

The river is very low and affecting well water quality
Low water on the Noatak River may be the reason behind changes in the water quality in community wells. The water quality began to change in the plant as measured (eventually) by the need for twice as much chlorine and Naclo polymer in order to get an acceptable residual of chlorine. The change indicates that the well recharge had been depleted and the that wells began operating on stored water in the aquifer. This water would have been older, likely anaerobic and higher in organics and in inorganics such as iron and manganese.
Chris Dankmeyer, John Monville, Paul Walton, David Beveridge, Brian Berube, John Warren

Dozens of dead seabirds found on Kivalina coast
About 20 to 30 medium-sized birds with black backs and white bellies were found spaced out along the entire beach of the island.
Arctic Sounder

Short-tailed Shearwaters (Ardenna tenuirostris) Found on Chukchi Sea Beach
More than 50 birds and a seal were found along the shoreline.
Kathy Kuletz, Janet Mitchell, Gay Sheffield, Hillary Burgess

Cape Thompson: Gathering Murre (Uria aalge) Eggs
Murres along Cape Thompson are migrating earlier, allowing coastal community residents to collect eggs a few weeks earlier than normal.

Little Ice for Bearded Seal (Erignathus barbatus) Hunting
Because of the increased travel distance, only families with larger boats were able to participate in the hunt and bring back enough to make the trip cost effective. With a heavier load in the boat, one family ran out of gas trying to get home and had to be rescued.
Janet Mitchell, Anna Godduhn, Richard L Thoman Jr

2 adults, child die after crashing through ice
The Arctic Sounder - Serving the Northwest Arctic and the North Slope
The Arctic Sounder

Aftermath of Nov. Storm at Kivalina

Beached Gray Whale (Eschrichtius robustus)
Gray whale (*Eschrichtius robustus*) found dead on the beach near Kivalina.

Second storm batters western coastline
The recent storm brought water levels up to the lagoon bank by town. Along the Chukchi Coast, storm surge and tides were expected to raise sea levels four to six feet above the normal high tide line, the weather service noted.
Arctic Sounder

Report out on Kivalina evacuation route and school site
The school site is about six miles northeast of town. If constructed, it would serve as the terminus of the evacuation route and as a modern shelter capable of housing the entire community.
The Arctic Sounder

Unidentified Marine Mammal
We could not figure out the what type of sea mammal it is.
Gay Sheffield, Kathy Burek Huntington, Janet Mitchell

Too Much Rain
Summer rain affecting subsistence food preservation.

Noatak residents speak out in support of caribou closure
With fewer caribou in the area and the higher cost of fuel to travel upriver to find the animals, families and neighbors are finding themselves in a tough spot.

Ushak Lake Wildfire
Residents puzzled about origins of underground fire.

High Number of Lynx (Lynx Canadensis)
The lynx population is up this year in Kivalina

Unusually Warm In Northwest Arctic
Above normal temperatures in the Northwest Arctic region

Migratory Birds In December
Ducks were fly north along shoreline of Kivalina

Arctic Char (Salvelinus alpinus) with Saprolegnia Mold
Arctic Char (Salvelinus alpinus) with Saprolegnia
Replogle Swan, Jayde Ferguson, Ali Hamade, Janet Mitchell

Western Arctic caribou migration returns to traditional route past Northwest villages
With caribou herds in decline and migration patterns swaying in recent years, news that caribou are following a more traditional migration route near Kivalina and Noatak caused a buzz this fall.
Northwest Alaska, United States
Alaska Dispatch News

Unseasonably Warm and No Sea Ice
The ocean is still open, and have not even begun to freeze yet.

Buggy ptarmigan
3-13-13 Buggy ptarmigan - Noatak, Alaska, USA
Noatak, Alaska, USA

Extreme High Water on Noatak River
Extremely high water on the Noatak

Extreme Rain and Flooding
It has been raining nonstop the entire month of August

Unusual eel-like fish
7-12-12 Eel-like fish - Kivalina, Alaska, USA

The Mystery Rust of Kivalina, Alaska
Last month a mysterious orange film ("goo" in the media vernacular) washed up on the shores of a northwest Alaskan village called Kivalina. An orange powder seems an odd product for the drying of crustacean eggs, but could make perfect sense for fungi -- specifically, the rust fungi.
Scientific American Blog Network

Orange gunk found near remote Alaska village identified
Scientists have identified an orange-colored gunk that appeared along the shore of a remote Alaska village as millions of microscopic eggs filled with fatty droplets.
msnbc.com

Erosion to Dump and Water Plant

Permafrost thaw is causing Noatak's grave site to erode
The issue of erosion is not new to Noatak cemetery. The old cemetery was located near the Noatak's airstrip, but in 1993, the spring breakup caused 30 feet of erosion adjacent to the cemetery. Flooding during the fall of 1994 further threatened the site, so residents relocated 200 graves to the north side of town.
The Arctic Sounder
Alaska Media, LLC., Steve Keller designer and application developer

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