Kwethluk

Kwethluk (Kuiggluk), located on the Yukon-Kuskokwim Delta at the junction of the Kwethluk River and the Kuskokuok Slough of the Kuskokwim River, is home to the Organized Village of Kwethluk, a federally recognized Tribe. The approximately 890 residents of Kwethluk have a strong subsistence culture that involves seasonal hunting, fishing, trapping, foraging, and berry picking activities.

Permafrost thaw, erosion, and flooding threaten both the infrastructure and the residents of Kwethluk. Annual flooding damages infrastructure, including impacts on the village’s septic tank and damages to the airport access road, and introduces debris into the river that makes it difficult to fish. At the same time, riverbank erosion is occurring at an accelerating rate as a result of permafrost thaw, waves from storms and boats, and riverine ice jams during spring break-up, creating additional threats to critical infrastructure, including homes.