Two State-owned parcels on Front Street in Talkeetna will be transferred to the Mat-Su Borough to be used for water storage and a new well site, according to a Final Finding and Decision from Alaska Department of Natural Resources. But the 1.42 acres is still in the 100-year floodplain. This is one of the reasons for moving the well site from its C Street location.
According to Alaska Railroad Communications Director Meghan Clemens, the Borough approached the Railroad in spring 2024 about digging a test well on their land, to which they agreed.
The test well was dug to about 138 feet, but the land around it partially collapsed, according to the engineering report submitted to the Borough. When tested at that depth, the water exceeded allowances for arsenic, iron, and manganese. However, when tested at about 90 feet, the water was below all thresholds.
Clemens says the Railroad is open to working on a permit application for construction, but to date, the Borough has not moved forward with that option.
In addition to the new well site, a storage tank that can hold about 350,000 gallons of water would be part of the project and placed on the same site. Clemens says both the well and the storage tank could fit on Railroad property.
The Borough spent about $80,000 on a feasibility study to look at five potential sites, none of which were the state-owned parcels on Front Street. All were eliminated for various reasons, including contamination, arsenic, and accessibility. The Borough then moved to acquire the 1.42 acres on Front Street from Alaska DNR. Despite public comments regarding the proximity to existing landowners, loss of a trail, and the site location in a floodplain, DNR issued the Final Finding that the two parcels would be conveyed to the Borough for public use.
The Talkeetna Sewer and Water Board approved a resolution requesting that the Borough reconsider other land, including the Alaska Railroad sites. The Board will hold their monthly meeting Wednesday, July 1 at 1pm at the Warm Storage Building on Comsat Road. The public is welcome to attend.
