The Kenai River at the Soldotna Bridge entered minor flood stage several times on Thursday and Friday, according to National Weather Service measurements.
The Service issued a special weather statement Sunday warning of the rising water levels on the Kenai River as freeze-up continues. As ice forms the river, the statement says, it can build up and restrict the flow of the water, backing it up behind the ice and raising levels.
The water levels rose dramatically starting in the wee hours of Wednesday morning, going from about six feet to nine, then jumping to 11 on Thursday and up to 12 on Friday. It has tapered off since Sunday.
Thought the weather service calls this a normal process, it cautions that folks living along the river should hasten to haul in any removable docks or stairs in anticipation of continued freeze-up and water-level rise.
