DOCSLIB.ORG

Wildlife Data-Gap Analysis for the Proposed Susitna–Watana Hydroelectric Project

Total Page：16

File Type：pdf, Size：1020Kb

Download full-text PDF Read full-text
Wildlife Data-Gap Analysis for the Proposed Susitna–Watana Hydroelectric Project WILDLIFE DATA-GAP ANALYSIS FOR THE PROPOSED SUSITNA–WATANA HYDROELECTRIC PROJECT DRAFT REPORT Prepared for: The Alaska Energy Authority 813 West Northern Lights Blvd. Anchorage, Alaska 99503-2495 Prepared by: ABR, Inc.—Environmental Research & Services P.O. Box 80410 Fairbanks, Alaska 99708-0410 August 16, 2011 Disclaimer: This document is provided by AEA as part its effort to gather and share all existing information regarding its proposed Susitna-Watana Project. Doing so should not be interpreted as an endorsement or acceptance by AEA of the content of this document at this time. TABLE OF CONTENTS LIST OF FIGURES ........................................................................................................................ v LIST OF TABLES .......................................................................................................................... v LIST OF APPENDICES ................................................................................................................. v ACKNOWLEDGMENTS ............................................................................................................ vi INTRODUCTION ...........................................................................................................................1 PROJECT BACKGROUND .......................................................................................................2 STUDY AREA ................................................................................................................................3 METHODS ......................................................................................................................................7 INFORMATION REVIEW .............................................................................................................9 MAMMALS ..............................................................................................................................12 Moose .................................................................................................................................... 13 Caribou .................................................................................................................................. 19 Dall’s Sheep .......................................................................................................................... 23 Brown Bear ........................................................................................................................... 25 Black Bear ............................................................................................................................. 29 Wolf ...................................................................................................................................... 31 Wolverine .............................................................................................................................. 34 Beaver ................................................................................................................................... 36 Other Furbearers ................................................................................................................... 38 Small Mammals .................................................................................................................... 42 BIRDS ........................................................................................................................................44 Species of Conservation and Management Concern ............................................................ 45 Raptors .................................................................................................................................. 49 ABR, Inc.—DRAFT iii WHP Wildlife Data-Gap Analysis Waterbirds and Shorebirds .................................................................................................... 51 Landbirds .............................................................................................................................. 53 AMPHIBIANS ...........................................................................................................................54 Historical Studies .................................................................................................................. 54 Recent Studies ....................................................................................................................... 54 VEGETATION, WETLANDS, AND WILDLIFE HABITATS ...............................................55 Historical Studies .................................................................................................................. 55 Recent Studies ....................................................................................................................... 65 SYNTHESIS AND DATA-GAP SUMMARY .............................................................................70 MAMMALS ..............................................................................................................................74 Ungulates .............................................................................................................................. 74 Carnivores ............................................................................................................................. 76 Furbearers ............................................................................................................................. 78 Small mammals ..................................................................................................................... 80 BIRDS ........................................................................................................................................80 Raptors .................................................................................................................................. 80 Waterbirds and shorebirds .................................................................................................... 81 Landbirds .............................................................................................................................. 82 AMPHIBIANS ...........................................................................................................................82 Wood Frog ............................................................................................................................ 82 VEGETATION, WETLANDS, AND WILDLIFE HABITATS ...............................................82 LITERATURE CITED ..................................................................................................................86 ABR, Inc.—DRAFT iv WHP Wildlife Data-Gap Analysis FIGURES Figure 1. Regional overview of the Susitna River basin, southcentral Alaska, showing the location of the proposed Watana dam and reservoir. .................................................... 5 Figure 2. Alaska game management units and subunits in and near the Susitna River basin, southcentral Alaska. ...................................................................................................... 6 Figure 3. Estimated population size of the Nelchina Caribou Herd, 1948–2008.. ..................... 20 Figure 4. Extent of regional land-cover and vegetation mapping in the Susitna River basin, southcentral Alaska. .................................................................................................... 57 TABLES Table 1. Recent estimates of moose densities and populations among game management units in and near the Susitna River basin ............................................................................. 18 Table 2. Bird species of conservation and management concern that are known or likely to occur in the Susitna River basin, Alaska. ................................................................... 46 Table 3. Summary of potential data gaps identified for mammals, birds, amphibians, vegetation, wetlands, and wildlife habitats for the Watana Hydroelectric Project. .... 72 APPENDICES Appendix A. Terrestrial mammal species reported to occur in the Susitna River basin. ........... 109 Appendix B. Bird species recorded, or suspected to occur, in the Susitna River basin. ............ 111 ABR, Inc.—DRAFT v WHP Wildlife Data-Gap Analysis ACKNOWLEDGMENTS We thank the following people for their assistance during this project: Bryan Carey, project manager for the Alaska Energy Authority (AEA), and James Gill, Cardno Entrix (technical assistant to AEA), for their management support and assistance and review of the draft report; Kirby Gilbert and Steve Padula, MWH Americas, for conceptual engineering information and review of the draft report; James Brady and Amanda Prevel–Ramos, HDR, Inc., for assistance in acquiring digitally scanned copies of historical documents from AEA’s microfiche collection; Jason Mouw, Monte Miller, and Bruce Dale, Alaska Department of Fish and Game, for background information and literature references; Steve Lewis, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, for background information on eagle surveys; Anne Johnson and Sean Conlon, Alaska Department of Natural Resources, and Dan Regan, Resource Data, Inc., for assistance with GIS data; and Robin Reich, Solstice Alaska Consulting, for assistance with agency consultation and meetings. This report is the product of a team effort by ABR employees Brian Lawhead (technical lead and principal author), Robert Burgess (ABR project manager and editor), Susan Bishop (contributing author and editor), and
Load more

Recommended publications
  • Operational Plan: Beaver Dam and Related Pond Inventory on Anadromous Streams Within the Susitna River Drainage, 2015
    Regional Operational Plan ROP.SF.2A.2015.12 Operational Plan: Beaver Dam and Related Pond Inventory on Anadromous Streams within the Susitna River Drainage, 2015 by Samantha Oslund February 2016 Alaska Department of Fish and Game Divisions of Sport Fish and Commercial Fisheries 1 Symbols and Abbreviations The following symbols and abbreviations, and others approved for the Système International d'Unités (SI), are used without definition in the following reports by the Divisions of Sport Fish and of Commercial Fisheries: Fishery Manuscripts, Fishery Data Series Reports, Fishery Management Reports, and Special Publications. All others, including deviations from definitions listed below, are noted in the text at first mention, as well as in the titles or footnotes of tables, and in figure or figure captions. Weights and measures (metric) General Mathematics, statistics centimeter cm Alaska Administrative all standard mathematical deciliter dL Code AAC signs, symbols and gram g all commonly accepted abbreviations hectare ha abbreviations e.g., Mr., Mrs., alternate hypothesis HA kilogram kg AM, PM, etc. base of natural logarithm e kilometer km all commonly accepted catch per unit effort CPUE liter L professional titles e.g., Dr., Ph.D., coefficient of variation CV meter m R.N., etc. common test statistics (F, t, χ2, etc.) milliliter mL at @ confidence interval CI millimeter mm compass directions: correlation coefficient east E (multiple) R Weights and measures (English) north N correlation coefficient cubic feet per second ft3/s south S (simple) r foot ft west W covariance cov gallon gal copyright degree (angular ) ° inch in corporate suffixes: degrees of freedom df mile mi Company Co.
    [Show full text]
  • Botanical Through Recreation
    REVISED STUDY PLAN 11. BOTANICAL 11.1. Introduction The botanical resources section describes the studies proposed to collect necessary baseline data to evaluate the potential impacts to vegetation, wildlife habitat, wetland, and vascular-plant resources in the Project area. Five proposed study plans are presented in this section. Two of these studies will involve the mapping of vegetation, wildlife habitats, and wetlands in the upper and middle Susitna basin where the Project dam, reservoir, supporting infrastructure, transmission lines, and access road are proposed to be built. A third study involves the mapping of successional vegetation, wildlife habitats, and wetlands in riparian areas along the Susitna River downstream of the proposed dam site, and also will involve modeling efforts to predict the potential changes in downstream riparian areas from Project development. A fourth study will involve surveys for rare vascular plant populations in those portions of the Project area where fill, inundation of the reservoir, or disturbance to plant populations would occur, and a fifth study will involve surveys for invasive vascular plants in currently disturbed areas that could serve as source areas for the spread of invasive plants in the Project area. 11.2. Nexus Between Project Construction / Existence / Operations and Effects on Resources to be Studied Project construction and operations activities would directly and indirectly affect vegetation, wildlife habitats, and wetlands in and adjacent to those areas where physical alteration of the landscape would occur (the site of the proposed dam, the reservoir, and in those areas where supporting infrastructure, the access road, and transmission-lines are proposed). Project development also could indirectly affect vegetation, wildlife habitats, and wetlands in riparian areas downstream of the proposed dam because of alterations in patterns of river flow, sediment transport, ice scour, and subsequent changes in riverine geomorphology.
    [Show full text]
  • Floods of October 1986 in Southcentral Alaska
    FLOODS OF OCTOBER 1986 IN SOUTHCENTRAL ALASKA " » U.S. GEOLOGICAL SURVEY OPEN- FILE REPORT 87-391 REVISED 1988 Prepared in cooperation with the: ALASKA DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION AND PUBLIC FACILITIES ALASKA DIVISION OF EMERGENCY SERVICES FEDERAL HIGHWAY ADMINISTRATION FLOODS OF OCTOBER 1986 IN SOUTHCENTRAL ALASKA by Robert D. Lamke and Bruce P. Bigelow U.S. GEOLOGICAL SURVEY Open-File Report 87-391 REVISED 1988 Prepared in cooperation with the: ALASKA DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION AND PUBLIC FACILITIES ALASKA DIVISION OF EMERGENCY SERVICES FEDERAL HIGHWAY ADMINISTRATION Anchorage, Alaska 1988 DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR DONALD PAUL HODEL, Secretary U.S. GEOLOGICAL SURVEY Dallas L. Peck, Director For additional information Copies of this report can be write to: purchased from: District Chief U.S. Geological Survey U.S. Geological Survey Books and Open-File Reports Section Water Resources Division Federal Center 4230 University Drive, Suite 201 Box 25425 Anchorage, Alaska 99508-4664 Denver, Colorado 80225 11 CONTENTS Page Abstract .............................................................. 1 Introduction .......................................................... 1 Purpose and scope ................................................ 1 Acknowledgements ................................................. 3 Precipitation ......................................................... 3 Discharge data ........................................................ 7 Peak stage and discharge table ................................... 7 Discharge data for October
    [Show full text]
  • Talkeetna Airport, Phase II
    Talkeetna Airport, Phase II Hydrologic/ Hydraulic Assessment Incomplete Draft January 2003 Prepared For: Prepared By: URS Corporation 301 W. Northern Lights 3504 Industrial Ave., Suite 125 Blvd., Suite 601 Fairbanks, AK 99701 CH2M Hill Anchorage, AK 99503 (907) 374-0303 TABLE OF CONTENTS Section Title Page 1.0 Introduction..........................................................................................................................1 2.0 Background Data .................................................................................................................4 2.1 Airport Construction ................................................................................................4 2.2 Past Floodplain Delineations ...................................................................................6 2.3 Past Suggestions for Floodplain Mitigation.............................................................7 2.4 Historical Floods......................................................................................................8 3.0 Flood-Peak Frequency .......................................................................................................12 3.1 Talkeetna River at its Mouth..................................................................................12 3.2 Susitna River Above and Below the Talkeetna River ...........................................13 3.3 Summary................................................................................................................15 4.0 Flood Timing ....................................................................................................................16
    [Show full text]
  • Salmon Watersheds Map Atlas Report for Prioritizing Conservation
    Salmon Watersheds in the Mat-Su Basin A Map Atlas to Prioritize Conservation Mat‐Su Basin Salmon Habitat Partnership 2009 Salmon Watersheds in the Mat-Su Basin Contents Report Introduction..................................................................................................................................... 3 Methods........................................................................................................................................... 4 Discussion..................................................................................................................................... 10 Cited and Reference Literature ..................................................................................................... 13 Maps 1. Matanuska-Susitna Basin Watersheds 2. Mat-Su Basin – Biological Value: Salmon Spawning and Rearing Length 3. Mat-Su Basin – Biological Value: Salmon Spawning and Rearing Density 4. Mat-Su Basin – Biological Value: Chinook Salmon Spawning 5. Mat-Su Basin – Biological Value: Coho Salmon Rearing 6. Mat-Su Basin – Biological Value: Sockeye Salmon Spawning 7. Mat-Su Basin – Biological Value: Chum Salmon Spawning 8. Mat-Su Basin – Biological Value: Salmon Species Richness 9. Mat-Su Basin – Biological Value: Wetlands and Lakes 10. Mat-Su Basin – Biological Value: Scenario B1 Aggregate Biological Value 11. Mat-Su Basin – Biological Value: Scenario B1 Aggregate Biological Value 12. Mat-Su Basin – Vulnerability: Road Density 13. Mat-Su Basin – Vulnerability: Culverts that Impede Fish Passage 14.
    [Show full text]
  • Susitna-Watana Hydroelectric Project Document ARLIS Uniform Cover Page Title: 2012 Review of Existing Water Temperature Model Results and Data Collection Suwa 96
    Alaska Resources Library & Information Services Susitna-Watana Hydroelectric Project Document ARLIS Uniform Cover Page Title: 2012 review of existing water temperature model results and data collection SuWa 96 Author(s) – Personal: Author(s) – Corporate: [Alaska Energy Authority] AEA-identified category, if specified: 2012 Environmental Study Plans AEA-identified series, if specified: Series (ARLIS-assigned report number): Existing numbers on document: Susitna-Watana Hydroelectric Project document number 96 Published by: Date published: [Anchorage, Alaska : Alaska Energy Authority, 2012] May 2, 2012 Published for: Date or date range of report: Volume and/or Part numbers: Final or Draft status, as indicated: Document type: Pagination: 15, 3 p. Related work(s): Pages added/changed by ARLIS: Notes: All reports in the Susitna-Watana Hydroelectric Project Document series include an ARLIS- produced cover page and an ARLIS-assigned number for uniformity and citability. All reports are posted online at http://www.arlis.org/resources/susitna-watana/ 2012 REVIEW OF EXISTING WATER TEMPERATURE MODEL RESULTS AND DATA COLLECTION INTRODUCTION The Alaska Energy Authority (AEA) is preparing a License Application for the proposed Susitna- Watana Hydroelectric Project (Project), which will be submitted to the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC). The licensing is being conducted using the Integrated Licensing Process (ILP). The proposed Project would be located on the Susitna River, an approximately 300-mile-long river in the Southcentral region of Alaska. The Project’s dam site will be located at River Mile (RM) 184. The results of this study and of other proposed studies will provide information needed to support FERC’s National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) analysis for the Project license.
    [Show full text]
  • WINTEK VIEW of MOUNT Mckinley from the NORTHWEST. UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT of the INTERIOR Harold L
    GEOLOGICAL SURVEY BULLETIN 907 FRONTISPIECE WINTEK VIEW OF MOUNT McKINLEY FROM THE NORTHWEST. UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR Harold L. Ickes, Secretary GEOLOGICAL SURVEY W. C. Mendenhall, Director Bulletin 907 GEOLOGY OF THE ALASKA RAILROAD REGION BY STEPHEN R. CAPPS UNITED STATES GOVERNMENT PRINTING OFFICE WASHINGTON : 1940 For sale by the Superintendent of Documents. Washington, D. C. ..... Price $1.25 (paper) ft 3 -vu> CONTENTS Page Abstract. _._._.-._.._.___._______-_---.--_--__------_--..-.-.-__._ 1 Introduction.._.._..._..__-__-__-------l---_._-...--.-.---_-__.-_. 1 History., of, exploration. _..__._.._._-----..--_.___-____.-_-____.-__.. 4 Present report__....--..-__._-.--------.----...----_----_----.-._ 21 Geography.. .-...._-.___-_--.-------_------_-__--.-_-----___.._ 23- Geographic provinces._______----_--_----_-_._---.---_.--...._. 23' Chugach-Kenai Mountains._----_---_.__--_--_---.---...-.. 24 Talkeetna Mountains._-_-------_---__--._.____._-..._-._.. 25 Cook Inlet-Susitna lowland.-----_----__--_---.-_---_-,-_-__ 26 Copper-Susitna lowland._------------..___-..._.--_.-.-.-._ 27 Alaska Range.______.___------__----_-_-__--_-_-__________ 27 Tanana-Kuskokwim lowland.._-..__.__._.__._._____.__.____ 29 Yukon-Tanana'upland. __--_------------__--------------.-- 30 Climate. _-_-__-------_---_-_-----------_-----------._-_-_-_--_ 31 Vegetation... _._._.__._-:___-.._.---.___.--._----__-_-__--._-__ 33 Animal life.___-_---_-_--_----_-----------_-------__.-__.---._ 35 Population..................----.-.----I.-.-..--.-.-.........
    [Show full text]
  • Area Management Report for the Recreational Fisheries of Northern Cook Inlet
    Fishery Management Report No. 92-3 Area Management Report for the Recreational Fisheries of Northern Cook Inlet bY Larry J. Engel and Doug Vincent-Lang November 1992 Alaska Departmentof Fish and Game Division of Sport Fish I PREFACE This report is divided into two sections. Section I presents an introductory overview of the Northern Cook Inlet Management Area. Included in this section is a general geographic and organizational description of the management area; an overview of the Alaska Board of Fisheries processes; fishery resources of the management area; an inventory of the available fishery resources of the management area; a historical perspective of recreational angler effort and harvest within management area waters; an approximation of the economic value of the recreational fisheries of the management area; and, a general descrip- tion of stocking, research, management, partnership, aquatic education, view- ing, and access activities being conducted in the management area. A summary of the major fishery and social issues that presently occur in the Northern Cook Inlet Management Area is presented, as well as any recommendations for solving them including, but not limited to, research, management, access, regulatory changes, aquatic education, partnership, stocking, or habitat options. Section II provides a more detailed summary of all the major fisheries that occur in the Northern Cook Inlet Management Area. Included in this section is a description and historical perspective of each fishery; the objective governing the management of each fishery; description of the recent performance of each fishery; a description of recent Board of Fisheries actions with respect to each fishery; a description of any social or biologi- cal issues surrounding each fishery; and a description of any ongoing or recommended research or management activities directed at each fishery.
    [Show full text]
  • Susitna River Drainage 18
    SUSITNA RIVER DRAINAGE 18 West Fork Chulitna River Middle Fork East Fork Miles See the Northern 0 20 40 Honolulu Creek Alaska Sport Fish Regulation Summary Unit 3 Chulitna River Byers Creek Unit 6 R i v e r Gilbert Creek Rainbow Trout Special Devils Canyon Managment Waters Clarence Alaska Railroad Lake Troublesome Ck. Trapper PrairieCreek Peters Creek Creek Talkeetna River Clear (Chunilna)Fish Creek Ck. Larson Creek See the Northern Birch Creek Nowhere Talkeetna Unit 5 Alaska Sport Fish Sunshine Creek Creek Regulation Summary X-Lake Rabideux Creek Lake Creek Moose Creek Kroto Creek Yentna River Montana Creek Oshetna River Unit 4 Goose Sheep Creek Kahiltna River Ck. The Susitna River from its Bulchitna Caswell Creek North Fork Kashwitna Unit 1 Lake mouth to and including the Greys Ck. Page 19 Deshka River. Kashwitna Skwentna River (196 Mile) River Deshka River Willow Unit 2 The Susitna River upstream tle Creek Yentna River it Unit 2 of the Deshka River. L Page 22 Canyon Creek Willow Creek The Susitna River Talachulitna R. Fish Creek Deception Creek Unit 3 upstream from the Alexander Creek MatanuskaGlenn R. Hwy Talachulitna Ck. Page 28 Talkeetna River to the Oshetna River. Wasilla Palmer Unit 4 Parks Hwy The Yentna River drainage. Page 30 Unit 5 The Talkeetna River drainage. KNIK ARM Page 32 West Cook Inlet Unit 1 See pages 15-17 Unit 6 S u s i t n a The Chulitna River drainage. Page 34 COOK INLET Petersville Rd SUSITNA RIVER DRAINAGE - Unit 1 GENERAL REGULATIONS Kroto Creek Kroto Unit 5 See pages 32-33 Lake Inclusive waters: From the mouth of the Susitna River upstream to its confluence with the Deshka River (including the Deshka River drainage, but excluding the MP Yentna River drainage)—the waters of the Susitna River and its westside tributaries, 79.5 and all eastside waters within ½ mile of the Susitna River Unit 4 Unit 1 The Fishing Season for all species is open year-round unless otherwise noted below.
    [Show full text]
  • Placer Deposits of Alaska
    Placer Deposits of Alaska By EDWARD H. COBB GEOLOGICAL SURVEY BULLETIN 1374 An inventory of the placer mines and prospects of Alaska, their history and geologic setting UNITED STATES GOVERNMENT PRINTING OFFICE, WASHINGTON : 1973 UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR ROGERS C. B. MORTON, Secretary GEOLOGICAL SURVEY V. E. McKelvey, Director Library of Congress catalog-card No. 73-600162 For sale by the Superintendent of Documents, U.S. Government Printing Office Washington, D.C. 20402 - Price $3.10 domestic postpaid or $2.75 GPO Bookstore Stock Number 2401-02369 CONTENTS Page Introduction _______ 1 Organization and method of presentation __ 2 Definitions _-____ 4 Alaska Peninsula region 4 Aleutian Islands region ________ ___ _____ _ ___ 7 Bering Sea region ____ _ 8 Bristol Bay region 9 Cook Inlet-Susitna River region 12 Anchorage district _ 16 Redoubt district ___-_ _ 17 Valdez Creek district __ _ 18 Willow Creek district 19 Yentna district _____________ _ ____ __________ _____ 20 Copper River region __ _ _ _ 23 Chistochina district 26 Nelchina district __ __ _ 28 Nizina district ___ 30 Prince William Sound district ______________________ 32 Yakataga district _______________________________ 32 Kenai Peninsula region _ ___ _ ______ ________ _ 33 Homer district ______________________ __________ ___ _ 36 Hope district _ - _ _ _ 37 Seward district ____ _ __ _ ___ _ 38 Kodiak region _____ 38 Kuskokwim River region ___ 40 Aniak district ___ _ - 42 Bethel district 46 Goodnews Bay district 48 McGrath district 51 Northern Alaska region ____________
    [Show full text]
  • Alaska Snow Survey Report
    Alaska Snow Survey Report March 1, 2016 The USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service cooperates with the following organizations in snow survey work: Federal State of Alaska U.S.D.A.- U.S. Forest Service Alaska Department of Fish and Game Chugach National Forest Alaska Department of Transportation and Tongass National Forest Public Facilities U.S. Department of Commerce Alaska Department of Natural Resources NOAA, Alaska Pacific RFC Climate Division of Parks Monitoring and Diagnostics Laboratory Division of Mining and Water U.S. Department of Defense Division of Forestry U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Alaska Energy Authority U.S. Army Cold Regions Research and Alaska Railroad Engineers Laboratory Soil and Water Conservation Districts U.S. Department of Interior Homer SWCD Bureau of Land Management Palmer SWCD U.S. Geological Survey University of Alaska U. S. Fish and Wildlife Service Agriculture and Forestry National Park Service Experiment Station Geophysical Institute Municipalities Water and Environment Research Anchorage Reindeer Research Program Juneau Institute of Arctic Biology LTER Private Alaska Public Schools Alaska Electric, Light and Power, Juneau Mantanuska-Susitna Borough School Alyeska Resort, Inc. District Alyeska Pipeline Service Company Eagle School, Gateway School District Anchorage Municipal Light and Power Chugach Electric Association Canada Copper Valley Electric Association Ministry of the Environment Homer Electric Association British Columbia Ketchikan Public Utilities Department of the Environment Prince William Sound Science Center Government of the Yukon The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) prohibits discrimination in all its programs and activities on the basis of race, color, nation- al origin, age, disability, and where applicable, sex, marital status, familial status, parental status, religion, sexual orientation, genetic information, political beliefs, reprisal, or because all or a part of an individual’s income is derived from any public assistance program.
    [Show full text]
  • Matsu King Salmon.Indd
    Southcentral Region Alaska Department of Fish and Game Northern Cook Inlet Division of Sport Fish Recreational Fishing Series Matanuska - Susitna Valley & West Cook Inlet King Salmon King salmon fishing in the Northern Cook Inlet area Kings are the largest of the Pacifi c salmon, and the fi rst salmon to arrive each summer. Every year, thou- sands of anglers visit the Northern Cook Inlet area A Northern hoping to take home a 25-, 30-, maybe even 50-lb. king Cook Inlet (Chinook) salmon. The top seven king salmon streams in Northern Cook king salmon Inlet, in number of kings harvested are 1)Talkeetna caught in River, 2) Deshka River, 3) Willow Creek, 4) Montana Creek, 5) Lake Creek (Yentna drainage), 6) Little early June. Susitna River, and 7) Alexander Creek. A relatively new opportunity has been added at the Eklutna Powerplant tailrace. The sprawling Susitna River drainage is made up of several major glacial tributaries, including the Yentna, and Nushagak rivers. Between 100,000-200,000 king Skwentna, Chulitna, and Talkeetna rivers. These rivers salmon return every year to the Susitna River drainage each have dozens of clear water streams fl owing into ... about twice the number bound for the Kenai River! them (see map on page 2). Management The streams that empty into the east side of the The recreational fi sheries of the Mat-Su Valley and Susitna River begin high in the Talkeetna mountains. West Cook Inlet areas are managed by the Division of These streams are generally accessible by car from the Sport Fish Palmer offi ce, 1800 Glenn Highway, Suite Parks Highway (Alaska Highway 3).
    [Show full text]