Officials, residents discuss erosion solutions

MAT-SU -- Solutions are still being sought to remedy erosion problems that, this summer, placed one home in danger and consumed hundreds of feet of land.

The problem is that the channel that guides Matanuska River shifted toward the southeast bank, cutting into land in the Butte area. It's not the first time the channel has shifted, but damage done by the escalating current has increased in the past few years.

Property owners in the area are seeking help from borough, state and federal agencies to mitigate the damage from the erosion.

Unfortunately, according to state officials and conversations Mat-Su Borough Manager John Duffy has had with staff from the Federal Emergency Management Agency, while agencies provide funding for victims of disasters such as floods, it's difficult to find money to cover problems stemming from erosion alone.

Last week, a group of property owners, state representatives and borough officials met to discuss progress on finding a way to end the erosion.

"My understanding is, there is no state disaster funding," said Christy Miller, flood plain manager with the state Department of Community, Commerce and Economic Development. "There is no state funding, that I know of … it would have to be a special legislative appropriation."

Duffy said he and Matanuska River property owners have been in touch with staff at the office of Sen. Ted Stevens, R-Alaska, who said the senator is looking for sources of federal funding. Securing the funding may be problematic, however.

"It appears we won't see any federal funding until at least November," Duffy said. "Because of the upcoming election, and the thought that the Senate might change, we likely won't see any movement."

An additional matter is complicating things, according to state officials.

Federal disaster mitigation funds previously listed in appropriations bills are now being redirected to pay for damage resulting from the four hurricanes that have hit the nation's southeastern coast in the past month.

With pleas for disaster funding coming in from elsewhere in the nation, it may be difficult to find funding for Matanuska River property owners, Miller said. And Matanuska River property owners aren't the only ones in Alaska facing problems from erosion.

"There are some villages where homes are in immediate threat, too," Miller said.

If funding does come through, Miller said, it's likely it will be directed toward moving homes and structures, not for a plan property owners and others involved in the project have touted -- dredging the river to deepen the existing channel and keep the river in a somewhat contained area. That plan, according to state officials said, is problematic.

"Anything happening upriver will influence what happens downriver," Scott Simmons, a state hazard mitigation officer said.

When four dikes were constructed in the 1980s, an engineering study done at the time showed it would likely cause additional erosion downstream. It has, Miller said, and that's one reason the state is suggesting that property owners who see dredging as a potential solution obtain permits from the Army Corps of Engineers and complete the work themselves.

"What the property owners are asking is for the state to get involved in taking the liability," Miller said. That, Miller said, could bring lawsuits if the river erodes land farther downstream that wasn't previously being eroded.

Another side to the problem, Miller said, is that the project of dredging the river to deepen the channel would be ongoing -- not just a simple fix. "It'd be a never-ending project -- where do we get the continuing funding to go along?"

Duffy said he and property owners will continue asking for funding from state and federal sources. In the meantime, he said, they are focusing on doing more dredging and strengthening and extending the dikes upstream of the eroded area.

"We think it's an immediate threat -- it may not be out there today, but it will be next summer," one property owner said.

Contact Rindi White at rindi.white@frontiersman.com.