A sign marks a road closure on Maid Marian Drive in Houston on Tuesday. Several days of rainfall led to flooding in multiple Mat-Su communities. High water from the Little Susitna River was flooding 20 properties in the Parks Highway city of Houston as of Tuesday afternoon, according to Christian Hartley, chief of the city’s fire department. Floodwaters limited road access to about 40 homes.
“This is much higher than normal,” he said of the Little Susitna. No residents had called for assistance by Tuesday afternoon, though some were moving belongings out of harm’s way.Four to 6 inches of rain fell in the Talkeetna Mountains between Sunday evening and Tuesday, according to the National Weather Service. Willow Creek, Moose Creek and the Little Su — all of which originate in the Talkeetnas — rose above minor flood stage by Tuesday morning.
The Little Susitna River, photographed Tuesday, Aug. 9, 2022, as it flows below the Parks Highway bridge in Houston. flood advisoryIn Houston, Maid Marian Drive was closed until further notice, borough officials said. Roads reported as closed or with water over them included West Schrock Road, Sitze Road, Moose Meadows Road and Shorty Drive near the Little Susitna River and numerous roads near Willow Creek including North Burrow Street and West River Aire Drive.
As of noon Tuesday, water levels on the Little Susitna River and Willow Creek were still rising slowly at the Parks Highway and expected to crest Tuesday afternoon into the evening, with additional areas of minor flooding possible. The Kashwitna, Talkeetna and Susitna rivers rose to near bankfull conditions but crested or began receding with no flooding expected along those rivers.