The Urgent Need for Relocation
Newtok is a small Yup’ik village in western Alaska sitting along the Ninglick River in the Yukon-Kuskokwin delta – a low-lying marshy wetland region with braided rivers stretching to the Bering Sea. Like other villages, Newtok has been dealing with climate induced changes, resulting in flooding, erosion and thawing permafrost. The accelerated thawing of permafrost has caused infrastructure to degrade. Rising sea levels and more frequent storms contributes to increased erosion and flooding.
The village has been exploring solutions to address erosion from the Ninglick River since 1983. Early studies concluded that moving the village would be less expensive than trying to control the erosion. In 1994, Mertarvik, a location approximately nine miles away on the south side of the Ninglick River, was chosen for the village relocation. Two years later, negotiations began for a land exchange with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, which were finalized in 2003. This overall village relocation is the first documented significant example of climate change adaptation resulting in an entire village relocating. The project is now being closely observed as a model for other vulnerable communities.
Education at the Center of the Community
As planning for relocation progressed, it became clear the school would play a central role in sustaining community life during the transition. In 2021, R&M teamed with BDS Architects, RSA Engineering, Inc. and Reid Middleton, Inc. on a project for the Lower Kuskokwim School District (LKSD) to plan a managed retreat from the existing Newtok Ayaprun Pre-K-12 School and design a new school at Mertarvik as part of an entire village move. In this community, as in most villages, the school is a central component of the community with sporting events and large gatherings commonly held there.
Meanwhile, while the land exchange was in progress, erosion problems continued. The Newtok River was captured by the Ninglick River, turning the area into a slough. Commercial vessels could no longer navigate to the village and honey bucket waste could not be flushed downstream, creating a public safety hazard when the village floods. The combining of the Newtok and Ninglick Rivers also made the village more susceptible to storm surges and flooding. Studies have documented the shoreline between the school and river eroding at up to 70’ per year.
This erosion put existing infrastructure in jeopardy. The existing Newtok school site was dilapidated, and the village sewer and water treatment plants were in danger of collapsing into the river. In September 2022, Typhoon Merbock flooded the village and caused additional erosion near the water and sewer plant leaving the school only 30’ from the river. Following the flood, the school’s generator caught fire leaving the school unheated, leading to frozen water pipes. For the remainder of the school year students used a “bathroom bus” that took students home for restroom breaks.
Despite these challenges, the Newtok school needed to be kept operational – sometimes with literal duct tape and bailing wire – until residents could complete the move to Mertarvik. The move has faced logistical difficulties such as shipping, weather, lack of local infrastructure and short construction seasons.
A New School in a New Home
To help realize the community’s vision for a safe, functional school in Mertarvik, R&M began the process with site visits to Newtok and Mertarvik. Over the course of four years, the team has led surveying, environmental permitting and design activities for the new school site.
Existing infrastructure in Mertarvik included a barge landing, bulk fuel storage, power plant, water well and water plant, MBR sewer system, Mertarvik Evacuation Center (MEC), a construction camp and several residences. Preliminary designs for power, roads, water and sewer systems were also already completed, setting the stage for broader development.
The new school is centrally located on a northward sloping site, making it accessible and visible within the new community. Due to funding limitations, the Mertarvik project was spilt into two phases. School funding is from the Department of Education and Early Development (DEED), while village relocation funding is from a variety of sources, including the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA), Department of the Interior, Denali Commission and other agencies. Coordination between agencies has been essential to secure funding to build a resilient community.
Phase 1 construction of the new school began in 2023 with civil earthwork and installation of structural pilings. Partial demolition of the existing school and water and sewer plants also began at this time. Phase 2 construction is now underway with the building structure and utilities, as well as further demolition of the Newtok School.
Toward a Sustainable and Resilient Community
Although the original plan was to connect the new school to Mertarvik’s broader water and sewer systems, funding and design delays prompted a change in strategy. To address this new direction, R&M is currently designing onsite water and sewer systems, including water well, water treatment plant, sewer plant and sewer outfall. Permitting the water and sewer systems is also required. The school will be supplying its own power requiring a bulk fuel tank farm an associated piping to the marine header and school.
With the relocation of all residents to Mertarvik now complete, the focus is on finishing the school. Construction is on track for completion in 2026. The collaborative efforts of designers, agencies and community members have not only helped preserve the social fabric of Newtok, but have also created a model for future climate adaptation and village relocation efforts across Alaska and beyond.
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