Newtok Planning Group Newtok Village Relocation History Part Five: Mertarvik - Getting Water from the Spring Since 2006, Newtok's new village site Mertarvik, has been transformed from an undeveloped expanse of gently sloping tundra and willow to the beginnings of a new village. The photos below show some of the changes over a six-year period. Photo: Sally Russell Cox Above: in anticipation of the delivery of 3 Bureau of Indian Affairs Housing Improvement Program housing packages, in late summer of 2006, community members constructed a small wooden ramp to offload the packages from the barge. Below: in the summer of 2008, the three homes were almost complete. Photo: Sally Russell Cox Below: 2009 view of the Mertarvik barge banding and the IRT base camp from the Ninglick River. Photo: Sally Russell Cox Below: 2010 aerial view of the pioneer infrastructure at Mertarvik, staging areas for Mertarvik Evacuation Center to the far left. Photo: Mike Coffey, DOT/PF Below: 2011 aerial view of the pioneer infrastructure at Mertarvik, foundation of Mertarvik Evacuation Center to the far right. Photo: Harvey Smith, DOT/PF Below: 2014 photo showing the pioneer infrastructure developed at Mertarvik through the coordination of the NPG. The beginning of a new village - Mertarvik on Nelson Island. Photo: Lemay Engineering; Labels: Sally Russell Cox Click to open a larger version of this labeled aerial photo. Next - Part Six: References Part One: The Qaluyaarmiut - People of the Dip Net Part Two: Early Efforts to Address Erosion Part Three: Progressive Erosion Brings New Problems Part Four: The Newtok Planning Group Part Five: Mertarvik - Getting Water from the Spring Part Six: References Contact for More Information Sally Russell Cox Division of Community and Regional Affairs Department of Commerce, Community, and Economic Development 550 West 7th Avenue, Suite 1650 Anchorage, AK 99501 Phone: (907) 269-4588 FAX: (907) 269-4563 Email:sally.cox@alaska.gov