Susitna River

Alaska State Troopers have identified a man who fell through ice while snowmachining on the Susitna River near Willow in March and died. A boater discovered the body of Scott Douglas Aslakson, 51, Sunday at the mouth of the Deshka River at its confluence with the Susitna, troopers said. A comparison of dental records allowed the State Medical Examiner's Office to positively identify the Houston resident Thursday and notify his next of kin. Aslakson is one of two men who disappeared into the Susitna River in the past year.

The Alaska Department of Fish and Game has issued an emergency order closing the fishing of coho salmon on the Little Susitna River. In places like Houston that's good news for the fish, but bad news for businesses like the Miller Market. "I didn't even order tackle again this year because it's just pretty much over," said market owner Don Dyer. " The last two years I just haven't even reordered -- it's just devastating. " Businesses like the Miller Market rely heavily on patrons passing through town.

The state medical examiner's office has used dental records to identify the two victims in Tuesday's plane crash near Mount Susitna. The victims were identified as Brandon Reiley, 28, and Seth Holden, 29, both of Anchorage. The crash happened about 25 miles north of Anchorage, near the Susitna River. Reiley is registered as the owner of the plane.

New regulations passed by the Alaska Board of Fisheries in February will affect fisheries in the Mat-Su Valleys and Northern Cook Inlet. The Alaska Department of Fish and Game says king salmon, coho (silver) salmon, general salmon and northern pike fisheries will be affected. From the Fish and Game Release (not a comprehensive list of regulations):  King salmon sport fisheries: The Chuitna, Theodore, Lewis, and Beluga rivers are closed to sport fishing for king salmon.

by Christine Kim Monday, March 15, 2010 ANCHORAGE, Alaska -- Alaska State Troopers say it's too unsafe to try and recover a snowmachiner who went missing this weekend. Scott Aslakson, 51, from Houston, fell through the ice of the Susitna River around 3 p.m. on Saturday. Troopers don't know if he was trying to cross or drive on the river. Helicopters and divers searched for Aslakson that afternoon, but troopers say they were only able to recover his snowmachine.

An Anchorage pilot and a passenger from Greece suffered minor injuries in a plane crash Monday afternoon near Talkeetna, according to Alaska State Troopers. Troopers identified the pilot as 22-year-old Tanner Hetz, of Anchorage, and the passenger as 20-year-old Petros Mariolis, of Greece and were flying in a 1958 Piper PA-22-160. The crash happened around 12:45 p.m. Monday about half a mile southwest of the confluence with Montana Creek. Troopers said Hetz lost control while conducting practice maneuvers and the plane collided with a sandbar on the Susitna River.

Two people were killed in a plane crash near Mount Susitna Tuesday night and discovered by the Alaska Air National Guard. Maj. Guy Hayes says a helicopter crew was on a training mission near Big Lake when it heard an Emergency Locator Transmitter. The Guardsmen then spotted a plume of smoke, Hayes said in a release, and headed towards the scene, on the Susitna River, where they found a small crashed plane. The release says the pilots were able to land the helicopter nearby and that crewmembers used four fire extinguishers to try to put out the fire.

A broad low is trekking across the northern Gulf of Alaska.  While this low is weakened from yesterday, it is still responsible for rain and snow in the Panhandle, snow over the Interior, and rain and snow with lingering winds in Southcentral. Up to half a foot is likely through tonight in and around Juneau with rain for the Outer Islands of SE.  Several more inches and chilly temps will persist over the central and eastern Interior. As the wrap-around moisture behind the low swings through Southcentral today, light to moderate snow is likely through the evening hours.  An inch or two is possible in Anchorage and the Valley, with heavier amounts along and west of the Susitna River.  Expect highs in the upper 20s and 30s. A weakly amplified upper level ridge has brough clearing to the western third of the state.  It will move east over the rest of Alaska tonight.  This ridge is being pinched by a digging upper trough over the Bering.  Thus, clearing will be short-lived.  Expect sunshine during the morning hours of Saturday in Anchorage.  However, clouds will move into the west coast this afternoon ahead of a rapidly strengthening low in the Bering.  A Blizzard Watch is posted for the lower Kuskokwim tomorrow, including the Bethel area.

While many are making summer plans, this is the time of the year when work ramps up for Alaska's Department of Fish and Game. The department received funding from the Alaska Energy Authority to build four new weirs in Lake Creek and Talachulitna on the Yetna side of the river and in Montana Creek and on the middle fork of the Chulitna on the main stem of the Susitna river. "It will allow us to make projections in the future on what we think is going to come up," Department Region Research Coordinator Jack Erickson said.

While many are making summer plans, this is the time of the year when work ramps up for Alaska's Department of Fish and Game. The department received funding from the Alaska Energy Authority to build four new weirs in Lake Creek and Talachulitna on the Yetna side of the river and in Montana Creek and on the middle fork of the Chulitna on the main stem of the Susitna river. "It will allow us to make projections in the future on what we think is going to come up," Department Region Research Coordinator Jack Erickson said.

Residents of Talkeetna are being asked to evacuate the town after its dike system against heavy flooding failed Friday, according to local firefighters. The evacuation is now voluntary, although an initial order was mandatory. Talkeetna Fire Department Battalion Chief Johnny Murdoch, the incident commander for flooding in the area, says the Susitna River started backing up to the Talkeetna River, causing the dike to fail. According to local officials the decision to evacuate Talkeetna was made by Alaska State Troopers, with authorities expecting water to continue rising Friday afternoon.

An Anchorage pilot and a passenger from Greece suffered minor injuries in a plane crash Monday afternoon near Talkeetna, according to Alaska State Troopers. Troopers identified the pilot as 22-year-old Tanner Hetz, of Anchorage, and the passenger as 20-year-old Petros Mariolis, of Greece and were flying in a 1958 Piper PA-22-160. The crash happened around 12:45 p.m. Monday about half a mile southwest of the confluence with Montana Creek. Troopers said Hetz lost control while conducting practice maneuvers and the plane collided with a sandbar on the Susitna River.

The Alaska Department of Fish and Game has issued an emergency order closing the fishing of coho salmon on the Little Susitna River. In places like Houston that's good news for the fish, but bad news for businesses like the Miller Market. "I didn't even order tackle again this year because it's just pretty much over," said market owner Don Dyer. " The last two years I just haven't even reordered -- it's just devastating. " Businesses like the Miller Market rely heavily on patrons passing through town.

The Susitna River drainage became the latest area of Alaska to be targeted for a king salmon closure Friday, as the state Department of Fish and Game banned sport fishing for kings in the region effective Monday morning. During the closure, effective from 6 a.m. June 25 through July 13, kings may not be targeted for any type of fishing, including catch-and-release fishing. Kings may not be retained, and any kings caught while fishing for other species may not be removed from the water and must be immediately released.

A broad low is trekking across the northern Gulf of Alaska.  While this low is weakened from yesterday, it is still responsible for rain and snow in the Panhandle, snow over the Interior, and rain and snow with lingering winds in Southcentral. Up to half a foot is likely through tonight in and around Juneau with rain for the Outer Islands of SE.  Several more inches and chilly temps will persist over the central and eastern Interior. As the wrap-around moisture behind the low swings through Southcentral today, light to moderate snow is likely through the evening hours.  An inch or two is possible in Anchorage and the Valley, with heavier amounts along and west of the Susitna River.  Expect highs in the upper 20s and 30s. A weakly amplified upper level ridge has brough clearing to the western third of the state.  It will move east over the rest of Alaska tonight.  This ridge is being pinched by a digging upper trough over the Bering.  Thus, clearing will be short-lived.  Expect sunshine during the morning hours of Saturday in Anchorage.  However, clouds will move into the west coast this afternoon ahead of a rapidly strengthening low in the Bering.  A Blizzard Watch is posted for the lower Kuskokwim tomorrow, including the Bethel area.

New regulations passed by the Alaska Board of Fisheries in February will affect fisheries in the Mat-Su Valleys and Northern Cook Inlet. The Alaska Department of Fish and Game says king salmon, coho (silver) salmon, general salmon and northern pike fisheries will be affected. From the Fish and Game Release (not a comprehensive list of regulations):  King salmon sport fisheries: The Chuitna, Theodore, Lewis, and Beluga rivers are closed to sport fishing for king salmon.

The Alaska Energy Authority says the Low Watana site on the Susitna River should be the primary site for a hydroelectric dam. AEA says the Chakachamna site should be considered as an alternative for Railbelt electricity. Earlier this year, the state Legislature provided funding to AEA for the preliminary planning, design, permitting and fieldwork for the Susitna and Chakachamna projects. AEA found that while the Susitna project would cost approximately 50 percent more than Chakachamna, there is greater risk of significant cost overruns at Chakachamna because of the terrain.

The victims of a fatal plane crash alongside the Susitna River have been identified. According to State Troopers, the state medical examiner's office used dental x-rays to positively identify 28- year-old Brandon C. Reiley and 29- year-old Seth D. Holden, both from Anchorage. The men were flying in a 1947 Piper PA-11 aircraft when it crashed Tuesday near Mt. Susitna. Contact Lori Tipton at ltipton@ktuu.com