The National Weather Service released an alert Thursday evening to the Western Kenai Peninsula warning of high water levels in the Kenai Lake and downstream into the Kenai River and Cooper Landing area. According to the alert, the Moose Glacier Dammed Lake has begun releasing, which will result in an inundation of water into the Kenai Lake and River.
The alert was re-posted twice on Friday morning with additional details regarding potential impact areas.
The NWS is estimating the Quartz Creek Campground boat ramp will be submerged and for water to encroach on campsites near the lake. At the Snow River Primrose campground, minor flooding is likely.
Based on data collected from similar release in fall 2015 release, the NWS projects the Snow River is expected to see high water levels on Sunday, September 10th around 10am, where the NWS is projecting a peak at 13 ft. Likewise, Cooper Landing waters are projected to crest Sunday night, peaking at approximately 13 ft on September 10th at around 10pm.
The alert states, “There is a lot of uncertainty with this event as this particular [glacier dammed lake] does not release regularly. Please monitor local river levels and forecasts for the latest updates.”
