Flood Update 4:15pm 8/18/06

EMERGENCY OPERATIONS CENTER--Borough Mayor Tim Anderson signed a disaster declaration this afternoon for the Matanuska-Susitna Borough. The Borough activated an Emergency Operations Center earlier this afternoon and is working cooperatively with the state Dept. of Transportation and the Alaska State Troopers.

Reports of flooding from the Little Su River on Wasilla Fishhook Road from mile 7 to 9.3 near the Hatcher Pass area have come in, specifically in the area of Shorty Street and more recently off Edgerton Parks Road. Borough officials have recommended that residents in that area self evacuate. Incident Commander Dennis Brodigan said the concern is that roads could become impassable, and possibly septic and wells may back up. Drinking water would be compromised. Brodigan said that residents should have an exit plan and should gather their essential personal belongings such as medicine.

Willow Creek has risen up over Johnson Road near the Parks Highway but not over the Parks Highway yet. Water is predicted to be on the Parks by tonight. Johnson Road is at mile 71.5 on the Parks. The National Weather Service forecasted that heavy rains will continue through tonight.

A shelter for residents is open at Larson Elementary off Seldon Road. The community center in Willow, Sutton Elementary, and Su Valley High are on standby for shelters. So far, no one has checked into Larson.

Fire stations are staffed up and on standby. The two dive and rescue teams are on standby for assistance.

Sutton: residents have reported that Granite Creek has a foot before flooding.

The Borough is readying and staging more than 2400 sandbags. Two thousand sandbags are coming from Anchorage Sand & Gravel to be staged at the MAT-SU landfill. Three CERT volunteer groups are activated. One is filling sandbags in Willow, the other will be filling bags at the landfill. Another CERT group is on standby in the Talkeetna/Trapper Creek area.

Reports from Talkeetna indicate that the Talkeetna River is not at flood stage yet, but the water is rising quickly. Water has not encroached on any subdivisions at this time, but could by tomorrow evening.