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<br />location: Alakanuk Village, Alaska
<br />
<br />Project: Erosion Stabilization and Flood
<br />Mitigation Project
<br />
<br />Techniques: land Use Planning, Multi-Agency
<br />Coordination, Erosion Stabilization,
<br />Elevation, Relocation
<br />
<br />Contact: Christy Miller, Alaska Community and
<br />Economic Development,
<br />chrlsty_mlller@dced.state,ak.us or 907-269-4567
<br />
<br />Project Description
<br />Erosion has been a constant threat over the last 25 years. Multiple studies indicated $6
<br />to $7 million needed for a structural erosion protection project that still would not have
<br />addressed the damage from flooding and ice run-up. Finally when the phased construc-
<br />tion of the community's first fully-piped water and sewage system was underway, a land
<br />use plan for long term avoidance of erosion and minimization of flood damages was
<br />developed. TIus planning effort involved community prioritization of goals and multi-
<br />agency coordination. One priority was to use elevation to address the community's
<br />extreme erosion threat. Another priority was to move twenty-one homes, three public
<br />bnildings and a church beyond the 30-year erosion zone. All structures were elevated ,1
<br />one foot above estimated "1% chance flood event"', except the fire station and public
<br />works building.
<br />
<br />Benefits
<br />. Utilized multi-agency coordination to meet State priorities of bringing water/sanitation
<br />Ice damage dwlng sp"ng ,"n.up. facilities to the community and meeting public safety concerns.
<br />. Created a city ordinance regulating new development against flood and erosion risks.
<br />. Identified high water marks of record so that new and relocated structures could be properly elevated.
<br />. Mapped the estimated 30-year erosion zone.
<br />Costs and Funding Sources
<br />. Plan development total costs, including designating 30-year erosion zone = $77,000
<br />'f' Community Development Block Grant = $54,000
<br />Alakanuk Erosion and Land Use Plan, prepared by Dames & Moore (6/10/98), financed in part from the CDBG administered by the
<br />Department of Community and Economic Development, Division of Community and Business Development
<br />'f' USACE Planning Assistance to States and Emergency Shoreline Protection, Section 14 = $23,000
<br />. Relocation and building elevation costs = $391,420
<br />'f' CDBG funds to date = $137,805
<br />'f' Additional CDBG funds approved = $62,000
<br />'f' Native American Housing & Self-Determination Act Program = $124, 667
<br />'f' Alaska Capital Matching Grants = $78,948
<br />'f' FEMA HMGP approximately = $50,000
<br />Note
<br />. "I % chance" = a flood event that has a 1% chance of occurring or being exceeded in any given year. This is a replacement term for
<br />the "100 year flood". I
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<br />Background
<br />Alakanuk is a Yup'ik Eskimo word meaning "wrong way," aptly applied
<br />to a village located on a major channel of a maze of ever shifting chan-
<br />nels on the Yukon River Delta, 15 miles from the Bering Sea. The entire commercial fish-
<br />ing and subsistence community, in addition to the surrounding tundra for miles around,
<br />are within the floodplain of the Yukon River. There are no roads connecting Alakanuk
<br />with other communities in the region. Boats are the primary means of transportation in
<br />the summer and snow machines are used in the winter. The 2,200 ft. gravel airstrip is
<br />the primary means of access. The city of Alakanuk is not a participant in the NFIP. Also,
<br />there are no surveyors, engineers, banks or insurance agencies in the village.
<br />The height of the 1952 flood that reached depths of 5 feet is used as the flood of record. Ice
<br />run-up during annual Spring Breakup often causes damage or desb1lction to riverlront sb1lc-
<br />tures. However, it has been the riverbank erosion that has caused the greatest disturbance.
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<br />Alaska / Mitigation Success Stories / 1
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