Yentna River passes flood stage near Lake Creek with water expected in lodge cabins

The Yentna River near Lake Creek passed flood stage Monday afternoon, the level at which the National Weather Service expects water in cabins at Anglers Inn and King Point Lodges. No report has confirmed whether water has reached them.

A flood advisory issued at 12:45 pm replaced Sunday's watch: flooding is now expected rather than possible. No flood warning has been issued.

The river should crest around 21 feet Tuesday morning, a little above the 20.5-foot flood stage, then fall slowly. That keeps the Yentna at or above flood stage for most of two days. The advisory runs until 3:45 pm Wednesday. Past advisories for this gauge have warned that between 21 and 22 feet, water reaches cabins at several lodges and resorts and encroaches on main lodge buildings.

Willow Creek at the Parks Highway is no longer forecast to reach flood stage. The Skwentna River has moved the other way and is expected to pass its action stage. At 41.5 feet, water starts over low spots on the road serving about five houses near the active slough.

One to 2.5 inches of rain fell into the greater Susitna Valley drainage over 36 hours, according to the reissued flood watch, with another half-inch to 1.5 inches expected over the Talkeetna Mountains. That watch covers Skwentna, Willow, Talkeetna, Trapper Creek and Petersville through 4 pm Tuesday.