Yentna River crest ties to flood risk for Lake Creek lodges

The Yentna River crested at 22.52 feet near Lake Creek on Thursday evening, two feet above flood stage, a level the National Weather Service Anchorage ties to water reaching cabins at several fishing lodges. The forecast office said flooding of rivers, creeks, streams and other low-lying, flood-prone locations was occurring, but it did not confirm that water had reached the cabins. It confirmed only that conditions matched the stage at which it forecasts flooding there.

NWS Anchorage measured the river at 22.3 feet at 9:50 a.m. Friday, still in moderate flood. Flood stage at the Lake Creek gauge is 20.5 feet. The flood warning for the Western Susitna Valley expired at 1 p.m. Saturday.

The forecast office listed expected impacts by river stage. At 20.5 feet, Anglers Inn and King Point Lodges were expected to take water in several cabins. At 22.0 feet, the forecast office said, "McDougal's, King Point, Anglers Inn, Wilderness Place, Lake Creek Lodge, 3-Rivers, and Cottonwood Resorts will have water in a number of cabins with water also encroaching the main lodge buildings."

Forecasters said the river had begun to subside as of 10:53 a.m. Friday but remained in moderate flood after heavy rains earlier in the week. The warning advised residents to monitor local radio, television or NOAA Weather Radio for updates.

Alaska News previously covered a mid-July advisory when the river was forecast to crest near 21.0 feet, with water expected in several cabins, and a late-July stretch when the Yentna sat a foot over flood stage with water already in cabins at Anglers Inn and King Point. NWS Anchorage issued a flood watch on Aug. 2 for the Susitna Valley ahead of 3 to 5 inches of rain forecast for the upper Yentna, Chulitna and Susitna basins.

During the Aug. 4 warning, forecasters said observers had reported trees larger than telephone poles moving down the river.