Ovewiew of Environmental and Hydrogeologic Conditions at Seven Federal Aviation Administration Facilities in Interior Alaska W.S. GEOLOGICAL SURVEY Open-File Report 95-341 Prepared in cooperation with the FEDERAL AVIATION AQMINISTRAZION Overview of Environmental and Hydrogeologic Conditions at Seven Federal Aviation Administration Facilities in Interior Alaska By Eppie V. Hogan and Joseph M. Dorava - U.S. GEOLOGICAL SURVEY Open-File Report 95-341 Prepared in cooperation with the FEDERAL AVIATION ADMlNlSTRATlON Anchorage, Alaska 1995 U.S. DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR BRUCE BABBITT, Secretary U.S. GEOLOGICAL SURVEY Gordon P. Eaton, Director - For additional information write to: Copies of this report may be purchased from: District Chief U.S. Geological Survey U.S. Geological Survey Earth Science Information Center 4230 University Drive, Suite 201 Open-File Reports Section Anchorage, AK 99508-4664 Box 25286, MS 5 17 Federal Center Denver, CO 80225-0425 CONTENTS Abstract ................................................................. 1 1nbduction ............................................................... 1 Description of interior Alaska ............................................. 1 Hydrology ............................................................ 3 Nenana ................................................................. 4 Locationandbackground ................................................ 4 Physical setting ........................................................ 7 Climate .......................................................... 7 Vegetation ........................................................ 7 Geology and soils .................................................. 8 Hydrology ............................................................ 8 Surfacewater ..................................................... 8 Hoodsanderosion ................................................. 9 Gromdwater...................................................... 10 Drinkingwater ......................................................... 10 Present drinking-water supplies ....................................... 10 Quality of the present supply ......................................... 10 Alternative drinking-water sources ..................................... 11 Quality of the alternative sources ...................................... 11 sumt .............................,....,..... ......................... 12 Locationandbackground ................................................ 12 Physical setting ........................................................ 14 Climate .......................................................... 14 Vegetation ........................................................ 14 Geologyandsoils .................................................. 14 Hydrology ............................................................ 15 Surfacewater ..................................................... 15 Gmundwater...................................................... 16 Drinkingwater......................................................... 16 Present chinking-water supplies ....................................... 16 Quality of the present supply ......................................... 16 Alternative drinking-water sources ..................................... 17 Talkeetfla ................................................................. 18 Location and background ................................................ I8 Physicalsetting ........................................................ 18 Climate .......................................................... 18 Vegetation ........................................................ 20 Geology and soils ................................................... 20 Hydrology ......................*..................................... 21 Surfacewater ..................................................... 21 Floodsanderosion ................................................. 22 Contents Ill Groundwater...................................................... 22 Dinkingwater ......................................................... 23 Present drinking-water supplies ....................................... 23 Quality of the present supply ......................................... 23 Alternative drinking-water sources ..................................... 24 Quality of the alternative sources ...................................... 24 SheepMountain ............................................................ 25 Locationandbackground ................................................ 25 Physical setting ........................................................ 27 Climak .......................................................... 27 Vegehtion ........................................................ 27 Geology and soils .................................................. 27 Hydrology ............................................................ 28 Surface water ..................................................... 28 Groundwakr...................................................... 28 Drinking water ......................................................... 29 Present drinking-water supplies ....................................... 29 Quality of the present supply ......................................... 29 Alternative drinking-water sources ..................................... 29 Quality of the alternative sources ...................................... 30 Gulkana ................................................................. 31 Location and background ................................................ 31 Physical setting ........................................................ 31 Climate .......................................................... 31 Vegetation ........................................................ 33 Geology and soils .................................................. 33 Hydrology ............................................................ 34 Surfacewater ..................................................... 34 Floodsanderosi~n................................................. 35 Groundwater...................................................... 35 Dinkingwater ......................................................... 36 Present drinking-water supplies ....................................... 36 Quality of the present supply ......................................... 36 Alternative drinking-water sources ..................................... 37 Quality of the alternative sources ...................................... 37 Slana ..................I~.............................m........... 38 Locationandbackground ................................................ 38 Physical setting ........................................................ 38 Climate .......................................................... 38 Vegetation ....................................................~... 40 Geologyandsoils .................................................. 40 Hydrology ............................................................ 42 Surface water ..................................................... 41 CV Contents moundwater...................................................... 41 Drimngwater ......................................................... 42 Present drinking-water supplies ....................................... 42 Quality of the present supply ......................................... 42 Alternative drinking-water sources ..................................... 42 Quality of the alternative sources ...................................... 42 Northway ................................................................. 43 Locationandbackground ................................................ 43 Physical setting ........................................................ 45 Climate .......................................................... 45 Vegetation ........................................................ 45 Geology and soils .................................................. 46 Hydrology ............................................................ 46 Surfacewater ..................................................... 46 Hoodsanderosion ................................................. 47 moundwater ...................................................... 47 Drinkingwater ......................................................... 48 Present drinking-water supplies ....................................... 48 Quality of the present supply ......................................... 48 Alternative drinking-water sources ..................................... 49 Quality of the alternative sources ...................................... 49 Su mmq ................................................................. 50 References cited ............................................................ 50 Appendix 1 : Hydrologic data for the Nenana area, Alaska .......................... A- 1 Appendix 2: Hydrologic data for the Summit area, Alaska .......................... A-2 Appendix 3: Hydrologic data for the Talkeetna area. Alaska ........................ A-3 Appendix 4: Hydrologic data for the Sheep Mountain area, Alaska ................... A-4 Appendix 5: Hydrologic data for the Gulkana area, Alaska ......................... A-5 Appendix 6: Hydrologic data for the Slana area. Alaska............................ A-6 Appendix 7: Hydrologic data for the Northway area, Alaska ........................ A-7 FIGURES 1 . Map showing location of seven Federal Aviation Administration facilities in interior Alaska .........................................