Angus Lake near Sachs Harbour rapidly drained over the course of early July 2025 after permafrost thaw created a water channel, emptying the lake into the Sachs River and leaving a large crater.

River erosion is impacting the road and requiring the replacement of health infrastructure.

"The event occurred on June 29th, on our native allotment near Kotzebue (Illivak). We left home in the morning and when we came back around 8:00 PM in the evening the whole lake had drained! It looked like it was blown up with dynamite."

High water in the Koyukuk River is causing erosion near Huslia as warm spring temperatures rapidly melt above-average snowpack.

After a decade of heavy erosion, a lake in the Bristol Bay village of Port Heiden finally breached, sending water gushing into the bay.

State and North Slope Borough officials say Point Lay’s drinking water lake was wiped out by the nearby Kokolik River, which flooded and eroded the lake banks.