The glacier-dammed lake at the head of Skilak Lake is forecast to release soon.
Hydrologist Celine van Breukelen with the Alaska-Pacific River Forecast Center said the Civil Air Patrol conducted an overflight of Skilak Glacier to check the lake levels.
Breukelen: “So from those images we estimate that the lake level is at 2,900 feet. And typically this lake releases every other fall at roughly this elevation so we are keeping our eyes peeled for any signs that the lake is beginning to release.”
She explained how glacier lake releases happen.
Breukelen: “When there’s a lake that’s formed on the edge of the glacier, that could be a combination of melt water from the glacier or also local inflow from drainages around the glacier, and so what happens is that lake level rises over time. After it reaches a certain elevation it actually lifts the glacier and the water is able to flow underneath the glacier and out to the river that is downstream from the glacier.”
The Forecast Center believes when Skilak Glacier releases, it will cause a 1-4 foot rise in Kenai River waters south of Skilak Lake.
The center will continue to monitor levels and issue a flood advisory or special weather statement depending on the severity when that happens.
The Snow Glacier at the headwaters of the Kenai Lake in Cooper Landing released in early September.