Project Summary

1. Project Identification

Name	Valdez Harbor Structural Improvements
Region	Alaska
State	AK
Location
Date of this update

2. Problem(s) addressed (check one or more)

Habitat Restoration/Protection
Wetlands
River systems
Beaches/Dunes
Offshore areas
Mangroves
Assisting Species at Risk
Pollution Mitigation
Non-Point Source Pollution
Other (describe)

3. Project Description (100 words or less. Please include qualitative information, e.g. acres of habitat restored, miles of steam reopened to migration, and legislative authorization, e.g. WRDA, ISTEA, CWA/NEP, CZMA, etc.)

Throughout the United States small boat harbors provide commercial and recreation uses, and, when constructed with care harbors can also serve as shallow protected embayments providing excellent physical habitat for many marine organisms. Valdez Harbor, near the city of Valdez Alaska is a small boat harbor which, due to its construction has developed a poor water circulation pattern. This pattern limits the potential environmental benefits that could be provided. The Valdez Harbor circulation enhancement projects will change this.

Valdez Harbor was constructed between an island and the mainland that generally runs east west. Water circulation along the shoreline was interrupted when the berm/roadway which bounds the harbor on the east side was constructed. Currently, the water is only able to enter and exit the harbor through the 100 foot navigational channel on the western side. In addition, the intertidal area east of the berm/roadway has been isolated from tidal flow. The proposed project will create a 480,000 square foot intertidal retention pool by constructing a breakwater east of the berm/roadway from the island to the mainland. The breakwater is designed to be overtopped during high tides forming the retention pool. An outflow pipe which connects the retention pond to the boat harbor will be placed below the berm/roadway passing the collected water to the boat harbor. About 66-acre-feet of water is expected to pass through the pipe, into the harbor, and out the entrance each tide cycle. This flow would result in the exchange of about one third of the water volume in the harbor.

4. Goals/Benefits (quantify where possible using measures of success list) Was a cost-benefit study conducted for this project? yes/no If yes, provide a summary of findings.

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5. Partners (include each participant's responsibilities - funding, permitting, etc.)

• Federal

  Lead:
  Others:

• Non-Federal

  State government
  Local government
  Private industry
  Public interest groups
  Educational Facility
  Other partnerships

6. Funding/Contributions (organization and amount)

• Cash

  Federal
  Non Federal	State government
  	Local government
  	Private industry
  	Public interest groups
  Total

• In-Kind Services (hours, equipment, or other forms of assistance and estimated dollar value)

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• Volunteers (number of people and hours, and estimated dollar value)

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7. Legislative authorities used by each participant

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8. Value added by Coastal America Partnership including Government Performance and Results Act (GPRA) goals achieved through this collaboration (500 words or less)

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9. Project Status

Initiation date
Completion date
Current stage

10. Contacts

• Project Manager

  Ron Burton
  COE
  907-786-34813

  Kathy Berg
  907-786-3598

• Participating Agency/Organization Contacts: (e.g. volunteer groups, conservation groups, state agencies, and other federal agency contacts)

11. Any additional information/comments

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This page was last updated on Saturday, 24-Jun-2000 11:48:46 EDT
Coastal America * Coastal America Regions
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(202) 401-9928 * (202) 401-9821 (FAX)
comments to lawrencea@fas.usda.gov