Center for Environmentally Threatened Communities

We support communities to address environmental threats and achieve their vision for a safe, healthy, and sustainable future.

Newsletter Issue 43

Four Things You Should Know

Local “stormwatchers” monitor—sometimes all night—storm surge and wave runup to inform a community’s decision to evacuate. We share stories of how some Alaska communities prepare for and watch storms.
Community Profile: In Kwigillingok, Alaska the combined impacts of permafrost degradation, erosion, and flooding threaten several homes, the barge landing site, and an essential bridge.
Last month, the Alaska Federation of Natives passed a resolution calling for increased coordination, technical assistance, and funding for Alaska Native communities to respond to environmental threats.
The Climate Justice Resilience Fund developed five lessons for transformative climate justice.

Community-led storm preparation keeps residents safe

Flooding in Golovin, Alaska during a storm in 2015. Photo credit: Chinik Eskimo Community.

When a coastal storm bears down on Golovin, Alaska, Jack Angerstrom readies for a long night. Angerstrom volunteers to watch storms in Golovin, a community of 150 residents built on a low-lying spit that juts into Golovin Bay. While the community is sleeping—or trying to sleep, as winds and water thrash outside—Jack ventures out every half hour to check the height of the water. If the water gets too close to the community, he will wake people up to evacuate.

How communities prepare for storms

Alaska’s coastal communities are frequently impacted by Arctic storms that can result in millions of dollars of damage to community infrastructure. Coastal communities such as Golovin used to rely on the safety blanket of winter sea ice that protects the shore. But as the Arctic warms and sea ice retreats, storm impacts are increasing. Local leaders take steps to prepare their communities for a storm. Community members monitor weather forecasts and tide tables. If a large storm is expected, they consult Small Community Emergency Response Plans (SCERP). Warnings are broadcast on VHF radios and local Facebook pages. Community networks spring into action in order to protect each other. “I pull other people's boats up, other people pull my boat up, we all look out for each other’s boats,” said Ward Walker, a council member for the city of Stebbins.

Once a storm hits, community “stormwatchers” monitor the storm surge and wave runup—sometimes all night— to inform a community’s decision to evacuate. In some villages, such as Shaktoolik, “stormwatching” is an official volunteer role. When a storm arrives in Shaktoolik, the city’s leadership asks for three to four community members to check the river and ocean water level every hour. “They put a stick in the water, and then an hour later they see if the water passes the stick or is going down,” said Sophia, the local coordinator in Shaktoolik. In Stebbins, that role is delegated to the village police officers. In other villages, like Kipnuk, “everybody is watching the water,” said Nick Slim, the Kipnuk Tribal Administrator.

Storm preparation and monitoring help to keep communities safe during storms but do not address the root cause of the problem. In Shishmaref, Twyla Thurmond, the local coordinator, says that Shishmaref needs rock sea walls for long-term protection. Otherwise, “It’s like filling a bucket with a hole in it,” she said. In order to protect against future storms, communities are evaluating what the best long-term solutions are to keep them safe. Until they have permanent peace of mind, community members like Jack will stand ready.

Community Profile: Kwigillingok, Alaska

An aerial view of Kwigillingok, Alaska. Credit: Darrel John, KYUK.

Kwigillingok, Alaska is a Yup’ik community of 374 people located on the western shore of the Kuskokwim Bay near the mouth of the Kuskokwim River. The community is built between ponds and rivers in a low-lying coastal wetland. Elevated boardwalks connect buildings. The land is rich in resources that sustain the community’s subsistence lifestyle. However, in recent years, community members have watched the land change. According to Gary Evon, Kwigillingok’s Environmental Coordinator, higher air temperatures lead to permafrost degradation and the draining of ponds and rivers. This causes land subsidence and, in turn, accelerates erosion along the river banks. The early breakup of sea ice also exacerbates flooding and erosion. The combination of these threats is impacting critical infrastructure and forcing the community to assess if they will be able to safely remain in their current location.

The community’s top priority is addressing the imminent erosion threat.

Homes

The riverbank in Kwigillingok is rapidly eroding. The home pictured above is roughly 180 feet from the river and is currently unable to be relocated due to a lack of funding and equipment. In 2020, the neighboring erosion threatened home was relocated with local labor and equipment. The community has submitted a request to the Natural Resources Conservation Service for assistance with relocating this home. Photo credit: Gary Evon.

Two homes (including the one pictured), the local store, and a 20-unit housing complex are expected to be impacted by erosion in the next 5-10 years.
An estimated seven homes are experiencing ground failure due to permafrost degradation, three have been elevated, and one cannot be raised due to the condition of the foundation.

Barge Landing Site

The barge landing site has been eroding at an accelerated rate due to melting permafrost. The outlined blue area on the map above shows the land that has been lost to erosion. The community estimates that half of the current barge landing site will be lost in the next 10 years. The community is seeking funding for a riverine erosion risk assessment that will evaluate the erosion threat to the barge landing site and recommend solutions. Photo credit: Gary Evon.

Photo credit: Alaska Native Tribal Health Consortium.

Bridge

A bridge (pictured to the left) that is vital for transportation and bringing water and sewer services across the river is threatened by shoreline erosion. The pilings are now fully exposed, compromising the safety and stability of the bridge. The community is seeking funding for a structural assessment and planning project to define the problem, estimate the cost, and develop a solution to repair the bridge.

Recent Events

The Alaska Federation of Natives Passes Environmental Threat Resolution

“AFN requests that federal agencies provide top-down direction to their programs to engage with Alaska Native communities to address environmental threats, including evaluating and eliminating federal barriers faced by our communities.”- Alaska Federation of Natives 2020 Annual Convention Resolution 20-20

The Alaska Federation of Natives (AFN) passed Resolution 20-20 calling for increased coordination, technical assistance, and funding for Alaska Native communities to respond to environmental threats. Read the full resolution here.

Climate Justice Resilience Fund's Five Recommendations to Advance a Climate-Safe Future

Last month, the Climate Justice Resilience Fund (CJRF) gathered partners and grantees from around the world for presentations and discussions about shifting society for a climate-safe future. Based on participant knowledge and the organizations’ lessons learned, CJRF developed five lessons for researchers, funders, and practitioners in this blog post.

About the Center for Environmentally Threatened Communities

The goal of the Center for Environmentally Threatened Communities (CETC) is to support rural Alaskan communities experiencing infrastructure impacts associated with flooding, erosion, and permafrost degradation. The team does this primarily through grant writing, technical assistance, and project coordination.

ETC@anthc.org | (907) 729-4521 | www.anthc.org/cetc | 4500 Diplomacy Drive, Suite 561, Anchorage, AK 99508

If you enjoyed this issue, please forward this email to a friend.

Subscribe to the CETC Newsletter