Sewer system, grocery store, school in Glennallen closed due to flooding

ANCHORAGE, Alaska (KTUU) – The danger of contamination and flooded waters have caused the sewer system to close in Glennallen Sunday, said Heidi Jacobsen, the bookkeeper with the Glennallen Improvement Corporation. Even if the septic system works in a household, Jacobsen encourages people not to use their toilets as the city could become severely contaminated from waste. Portable toilets are being installed throughout the community.

Flooding Saturday and Sunday has caused the Copper River School District to close, Jacobsen said. A notice on the Glennallen K-12 school website says it will be closed Monday due to the flooding. The Kenny Lake School, Slana School and the offices for the Upstream Learning Correspondence school are also closed because of flooding. High school students across the district are scheduled to graduate this week.

Glennallen’s main grocery store, the Copper Valley IGA, is closed.

At least two homes have been evacuated in Glennallen because of flooding, Jacobsen said. There has not been enough residential evacuations to warrant the installation of an emergency shelter, she said.

Traffic is being stopped along the Glenn Highway at both entrances into Glennallen, Jacobsen said, with a pilot vehicle guiding residences through the city’s main street. There are also multiple sideroads closed in Glennallen.

Glennallen is part of Governor Mike Dunleavy’s emergency declaration for flooded communities scattered across the state.

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