November 2011 storm - Photo courtesy of Janet Mitchell
2011
Kivailna suffered a wind storm on Novembe 18 which was compared to that of 'cyclonic proportions'. Those who wanted were relocated to the gym for safety purposes, strictly voluntary. More then 200 went to the school and stayed there for several days while officials stayed within the community and kept an eye on things. Fortunately, thanks to prayers of epic proportions, we weathered that storm with flying colors.
Someone shared a story of long ago when our age 'amaus' were the prayer authority figures i.e. Mabel Thomas and Myra Hawley. Mabel went to the beach area where the AVEC has it's building with her arms upraised towards the heavens and prayed for a reprieve from the storm. Myra Hawley went near the airport area, kneeled on the ground and began praying. The storm abated and Kivalina was relieved!
Rock revetment - finished product! All photos courtesy of Janet Mitchell
Rock Revetment - 2009
The rock revetment was completed on October 2009. It was inspected by the US Army Corps of Engineers so a little more work was done to smooth the rough edges, so to speak. Gravel for next years project was stock-piled in front of the Adams' house to provide protection for their home which is near the ocean. An additional 400 feet will be constructed next year. The general feeling is that the people are feeling a little more safe then normal. Space was built to double as a road on the beach side. It actually looks quite good.
2009
Brice Construction of Fairbanks has been contracted by the United States Army Corps of Engineers to construct a rock revetment. According to the design, the length of the rock revetment is 3,200 feet but only there was only enough funding for 400 feet for the year 2008. An additional 1,200 has been funded but there is no time this year to construct that length, reason being that the rock source which is located in Nome, Alaska has closed it's shipping season. Work will continue next year. Our only hope is that we don't get hit too hard with the fall time storms. Those storms are a sure thing, there is no avoiding them. They have occurred every year without fail. Its just Mother Nature taking it's course.
2008
After much assault from the elements, this was the result.
2007
Beginning of the assault from the ocean.
Kivalina children by the seawall during the September storm.
2006
Fighting the sea with what the village had on hand. The green cartridges are fuel tanks for the DC-3 that crashed in Kivalina in the year 2004 I believe. An attempt to lessen the assault on the banks. Didn't quite work. Even the metal sheets on the far end didn't work. The assault stopped only because the storm abated.
2005
Beginning of the fight with the ocean. See the cute little sandbags around the telephone pole in the bottom right corner? Well, we had to do something, anything. The owners of the underground storage cache had to remove their barrels of seal oil and put them inland near their home. That was a historical method of storing food.
2004
Gradual erosion but at a faster rate.