Matanuska-Susitna Borough declares disaster emergency due to flooding in the Upper Susitna Valley

The Mat-Su Borough, through Mayor Edna DeVries and Borough Manager Mike Brown, has formally declared a Disaster Emergency to the State of Alaska after floodwaters have posed a threat to infrastructure in areas including Trapper Creek and Talkeetna.

For nearly two weeks, sustained and heavy rainfall has caused widespread flooding throughout the Mat-Su Borough, threatening public infrastructure and private property. The declaration specifically identifies damage to the Talkeetna dike and revetment as being beyond the service area's capacity to repair, and damage to roads in the Trapper Creek area are outside of the Borough's road service area and extend beyond the area maintained by the State Department of Transportation.

“Due to elevated water levels, we are currently unable to assess the full extent of the damage to the Talkeetna dike and revetment,” said Mat-Su Borough (MSB) Manager Mike Brown. “The service area has limited capacity for repairs, so we are requesting public assistance to address the situation.”

It was around this time last year that MSB Assembly members approved a similar emergency disaster declaration after heavy rains in August and into the Labor Day weekend caused flooding along the Talkeetna River, requiring riverbanks and emergency revetment repairs.

The declaration also encompasses repairs to Petersville Road being conducted by the Alaska Department of Transportation.

The Borough has requested that Governor Mike Dunleavy also declare a Disaster Emergency to help provide financial disaster assistance under the Public Assistance and Individual Assistance to the Borough in its response and recovery from this event.

Casey Cook, Mat-Su Emergency Manager said that the Borough is continuing to monitor and assess for damages to the infrastructure and make repairs what they can.

“We are continuing our assessments for damages and internally documenting any recurring damages to that area. We are also hoping to get the Army Corps of Engineers here to look for ways to fund mitigation projects.”

Cook also urged individual homeowners to link up with the Red Cross and other local aid agencies in the Mat-Su Valley for further assistance.

With more rain in the forecast, the Borough continues to monitor conditions closely. This is an ongoing story.