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Willow Creek floods neighborhoods after ice jam

by Lori Tipton
Friday, November 20, 2009

ANCHORAGE, Alaska -- Several homeowners in Willow are on high alert after ice jams caused flooding in neighborhoods near Willow Creek. Two families have already been forced to evacuate.

Ice and slush started flowing into neighborhoods bordering Willow Creek on Tuesday morning. Local residents say it's not unusual for the creek to flood -- but it is unusual for it to do so this time of year.

"The whole time I've lived here, I've never had ice in my driveway," said resident Robin Tresham, who has lived near Willow Creek for 45 years.

"I woke up this morning, daylight and realized it was right there," Tresham said.

She's seen this creek flood before, but never like this.

"This usually doesn't happen this time of year," Tresham said. "It's usually either in the fall or early spring that we have problems."

Over the last few days, large ice jams have caused water from the creek to spill over into nearby roadways, including one near Tresham's home.

"It's like a fungus, because it just keeps spreading and it's very deep," Tresham said.

Some roads near Willow, like Fishhook Road toward Hatcher Pass, have as much as a foot of water and ice at intersections.

At least four homes are completely surrounded with up to four feet of slush. Two families evacuated -- one of those after their home flooded.

Tresham says she's not worried about her home since it sits on a knoll, but does worry about her neighbors.

"I have family that's got property here that could have extensive damage, and be expensive to replace," Tresham said.

Willow firefighters say they've pinpointed what they believe is the problem area -- a large ice jam about a half a mile upstream from the Shirley Town Bridge. They say they are ready to assist if the flooding gets worse.

"About the only thing we can do is watch," said Willow rescue technician Donn Burge. "You can't fight Mother Nature. It's just if somebody needs something, we are here to help them."

Locals are hoping that warmer weather is on its way to prevent more ice jams. Temperatures began inching upward Friday, and the National Weather Service says it could get up to the high teens or low 20s by this weekend.

"That's still not thawing, but hopefully it's enough that the water will find its way back to where it goes," Tresham said.

The flooding has trapped a family of five inside their home at the end of Kenny Boulevard. Firefighters say the family is okay for now, since they have a generator and enough food to last them up to 10 days.

If flooding continues, however, a rescue crew will have to go in to get them.

Contact Lori Tipton at ltipton@ktuu.com