Temperatures, rivers running high

PALMER — High temperatures have led the borough to keep a nervous eye on a handful of local streams.

Mat-Su Borough Deputy Director of Emergency Services Clint Vardeman said snow melt seems to be the likeliest culprit.

“These high temperatures are bringing it off of the mountain and the rivers are running high and fast,” he said. “In fact there’s a lot of tree and debris going through them.”

He singled out three areas of particular concern:

•Maude Road in Butte

“It is not flooding as in covering Maud road but we are watching it very carefully,” Vardeman said of the road that runs ___ the Matanuska River.

“Last year they put down gravel and rock on the right side and that water is undercutting what they put down.”

•Moose Meadows Drive in Meadow lakes

“It’s another one that typically we have problem with and the water is rising out there. It’s not creating a problem but again we’re watching it pretty closely.”

The river in question here is the Little Susitna River.

•Talkeetna

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration does track some rivers on its website. The only river monitor reporting above-normal readings as of Tuesday afternoon was on the Talkeetna River at the Alaska railroad bridge.

“There’s no flooding, it’s just high,” Vardeman said.

Meanwhile, the state's Division of Forestry continued its ban on open burning in the Valley. Burn piles and burn barrels are not allowed and fire danger is said to be extremely high.

"Campfires, warming or cooking fires are allowed but not encouraged," the state's Division of Forestry website warns.