The 1967 Chena River Flood

The 1967 Chena River Flood. . , In 1967, Fairbanks experienced the greatest flood in its history, as the Chena River seemingly swallowed the city whole., It's Raining, It's Pouring , Fairbanks residents expect cooler and shorter days and a little rain in August, but August 1967 was not typical. A rapid sequence of low-pressure systems moved through east-central Interior Alaska causing extremely heavy rainfall. It began raining on August 8 and did not stop raining until August 15. In those eight days, 6.15 inches of rain fell at the Fairbanks airport compared to the annual average of 10.81 inches., City Under Water , The Chena River, which bisects Fairbanks, rapidly rose and spilled over its banks. Fairbanks residents and business owners began moving their belongings out of basements, but the waters kept rising. People scrambled to get to high ground. Many found their way to the university, but some sought refuge on rooftops as they watched debris flow through streets that became canals. Over 12,000 people were evacuated, seven lives were lost, and damage to the city totaled over $80 million in 1967., Making Sense of the Mire , About 95% of Fairbanks flooded; some places were under up to five feet of water. After the floodwaters receded, the community came together to begin cleaning up before winter. Although the city had a history of floods, few people were prepared for such an extreme event. The community began working on long-term solutions such as flood plain zoning, flood-proofing structures, filling land prior to construction, and building the Chena River Lakes Flood Control Project., Background photo: Notice the people on the rooftop in this view of Cushman Street under water and Immaculate Conception Parish in the distance., [Photo captions, left to right, read] , . Area residents evacuate by boat., . Air and water rescue takes place at the J.C. Penney department store., . Aerial photo showing the extent of the flood in Fairbanks.