Flood Mitigation

 

Currently West Talkeetna is a MSB flood control service area with a dike and revetment.

East Talkeetna is not a Flood Control Service Area. This means that the MSB cannot spend any money on flood mitigation or act as a pass through for state and federal flood control funds within the East Talkeetna area. 

At the Talkeetna Community Council's October 2014 election, the residents of East Talkeetna voted in favor of annexing East Talkeetna into the Talkeetna Flood Control Service area No 7 (West Talkeetna). There were 51 votes in favor and 10 votes opposed.

The MSB Assembly approved the annexation of East Talkeetna into the Talkeetna Flood Control Service Area to go forward to the ballot in October.

There will be 2 separate ballots, and depending on voters main address, the correct ballot will be presented. One ballot is for East Talkeetna, one ballot is for West Talkeetna. Both ballots have to be passed to include East Talkeetna into the West Talkeetna Flood Service Area.

Pros And Cons

East Talkeetna residence pros

  • Allows MSB to protect property (by building flood protection for property not owned byMSB. MSB owned property, such as the Yoder Rd. bridge, is protected with a dike.         Real/Private property cannot be protected by MSB without the designation of a flood service area)

  • Allows MSB to build protection (ie. flood assets such as dikes, revetments etc.)

  • Allows MSB to maintain protection (brushing of the dike etc.)

  • Allows MSB to build infrastructure (ie. culverts, road grade modifications to address flooding)\

  • Allows MSB to address erosion control

  • Qualities for mitigation money

  • Flood service areas can apply for loans (low interest loans from the MSB revolving load fund to construct flood assets, etc.) 

East Talkeetna residence cons

  • Property mill rate increase. The current West Talkeetna Flood Service Area mill rate is 1.39 

West Talkeetna residence pros

  • Mill rate level decrease

  • Protect West Talkeetna with flood mitigation further upstream on the Talkeetna river 

West Talkeetna residence cons

  • ?

Story from KTNA on the subject: here

See attached files for a map of the annexation area.

2016 Ballot Text

 PROPOSITION NO. B-3

PROPOSED ANNEXATION OF CERTAIN PROPERTIES INTO THE TALKEETNA FLOOD CONTROL SERVICE AREA NO. 7

(THIS PROPOSITION IS FOR THE
EXISTING PROPERTIES OF THE SERVICE AREA)

Shall certain properties in the East Talkeetna area (northeast of the railroad tracks, between the Talkeetna River and the Twister Creek Ridge Line, to the Talkeetna River’s edge just north of Mercedes Drive) as shown on the map in the polling location and attached to IM No. 15-143 be annexed into the Talkeetna Flood Control Service Area No. 7 to provide water erosion and flood control?

The anticipated cost of the services for the properties within the proposed annexation the first year is not expected to exceed 1.07 mills or $107 per $100,000 of assessed valuation.

This ballot proposition will not add an additional mill rate to the existing properties of the service area.

Service shall commence on July 1, 2016

  

PROPOSITION NO. B-4

PROPOSED ANNEXATION OF CERTAIN PROPERTIES INTO THE TALKEETNA FLOOD CONTROL SERVICE AREA NO. 7

(THIS PROPOSITION IS FOR THE
PROPERTIES TO BE ANNEXED INTO THE SERVICE AREA)

Shall certain properties in the East Talkeetna area (northeast of the railroad tracks, between the Talkeetna River and the Twister Creek Ridge Line, to the Talkeetna River’s edge just north of Mercedes Drive) as shown on the map in the polling location and attached to IM No. 15-143 be annexed into the Talkeetna Flood Control Service Area No. 7 to provide water erosion and flood control?

The anticipated cost of the services for the properties within the proposed annexation the first year is not expected to exceed 1.07 mills or $107 per $100,000 of assessed valuation.

Service shall commence on July 1, 2016.

Talkeetna Dike Repair:

The erosion control project was originally placed by the US Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) in 1951. The 'permanent' project was constructed in 1979.

The project included a soil & steel piling facine, 1150' or armored dike & 1650' of armored revetment.

Damage to the dike was reported after the 2012 flood event.

MatSu Borough Assembly - Aug 17 2016:

AM No. 16-073: Award Of Proposal No. 17-005P To HDL Engineering Consultants, LLC. In The Contract Amount Of $176,837 For Talkeetna Dike Repair Design.

Most recent repairs to the Talkeetna Revetment occurred in June of 2020. Click HERE for the Scope of Work provided by MSB in 2012.

Relevant Files