Prepared by: United States Department of the Interior Fish and Wildlife Service Arctic National Wildlife Refuge Richard Voss Arctic National Wildlife Refuge Manager Fairbanks, Alaska Appendix I: Wild and Scenic River Review Table of Contents 1. Introduction .................................................................................................................................................. 1 1.1 Suitability Analysis Process ............................................................................................................. 2 1.2 Methodology ...................................................................................................................................... 2 1.3 Data Sources ..................................................................................................................................... 5 1.4 Public Input ........................................................................................................................................ 6 1.4.1 Eligibility Phase ................................................................................................................. 6 1.4.2 Suitability Phase ................................................................................................................. 6 1.5 Interim Management of Candidate Rivers ....................................................................................... 6 1.6 Designated Wild and Scenic Rivers ................................................................................................. 9 1.7 Suitability Factors .............................................................................................................................. 9 2. River Specific Suitability Analysis ............................................................................................................ 17 2.1 Atigun River ..................................................................................................................................... 17 2.1.1 Description/Overview....................................................................................................... 17 2.1.2 Suitability Factor Assessment ........................................................................................ 17 2.1.3 Preliminary Suitability Determination .......................................................................... 23 2.2 Canning River ................................................................................................................................... 24 2.2.1 Description/Overview....................................................................................................... 24 2.2.2 Suitability Factor Assessment ........................................................................................ 24 2.2.3 Preliminary Suitability Determination .......................................................................... 31 2.3 Marsh Fork Canning River ............................................................................................................... 32 2.3.1 Description/Overview....................................................................................................... 32 2.3.2 Suitability Factor ............................................................................................................. 32 2.3.3 Preliminary Suitability Determination .......................................................................... 37 2.4 East Fork Chandalar River ............................................................................................................... 38 2.4.1 Description/Overview....................................................................................................... 38 2.4.2 Suitability Factor Assessment ........................................................................................ 38 2.4.3 Preliminary Suitability Determination .......................................................................... 46 2.5 Hulahula River ................................................................................................................................. 48 2.5.1 Description/Overview....................................................................................................... 48 2.5.2 Suitability Factor Assessment ........................................................................................ 48 2.5.3 Preliminary Suitability Determination .......................................................................... 55 2.6 Jago River ........................................................................................................................................ 56 2.6.1 Description/Overview....................................................................................................... 56 2.6.2 Suitability Factor Assessment ........................................................................................ 56 Arctic Refuge Draft Revised Comprehensive Conservation Plan SUIT-iii Appendix I: Wild and Scenic River Review 2.6.3 Preliminary Suitability Determination .......................................................................... 62 2.7 Kongakut River ................................................................................................................................. 64 2.7.1 Description/Overview ....................................................................................................... 64 2.7.2 Suitability Factor Assessment ........................................................................................ 64 2.7.3 Preliminary Suitability Determination .......................................................................... 70 2.8 Okpilak River .................................................................................................................................... 72 2.8.1 Description/Overview ....................................................................................................... 72 2.8.2 Suitability Factor Assessment ........................................................................................ 72 2.9 Neruokpuk Lakes (Peters and Schrader Lakes) ............................................................................ 80 2.9.1 Description/Overview ....................................................................................................... 80 2.9.2 Suitability Factor Assessment ........................................................................................ 80 2.10 Porcupine River ............................................................................................................................... 88 2.10.1 Description/Overview ....................................................................................................... 88 2.10.2 Suitability Factor Assessment ........................................................................................ 88 2.10.3 Preliminary Suitability Determination .......................................................................... 95 3. Conclusions ................................................................................................................................................ 95 4. References .................................................................................................................................................. 99 SUIT-iv Arctic Refuge Draft Revised Comprehensive Conservation Plan Appendix I: Wild and Scenic River Review List of Maps Map 1-1. Rivers studied for suitability ............................................................................................................... 3 Map 1-2. Polar Bear Critical Habitat and Eligible Rivers ............................................................................ 15 Map 2-1. Atigun River ....................................................................................................................................... 19 Map 2-2. Canning River ..................................................................................................................................... 25 Map 2-3. Marsh Fork Canning River ............................................................................................................... 33 Map 2-4. East Fork Chandalar River (Northern Reach) ............................................................................... 39 Map 2-5. East Fork Chandalar River (Southern Reach) ............................................................................... 41 Map 2-6. Hulahula River ................................................................................................................................... 49 Map 2-7. Jago River ........................................................................................................................................... 57 Map 2-8. Kongakut River .................................................................................................................................. 65 Map 2-9. Okpilak River ...................................................................................................................................... 73 Map 2-10. Neruokpuk LakesBack of Map 2-10 ............................................................................................... 81 Map 2-11. Porcupine River ................................................................................................................................ 89 Map 3-1. Suitable Rivers ..................................................................................................................................