General Hydro Information for Alaska
RTCA has had Hydro staff in the Alaska Region
since 2000. The combination of small-scale, isolated settlement patterns;
lack of a regional power grid in many areas; and high gradient streams means
that Alaska is one of the few places in the US where new hydro projects are
still being considered. Coastal communities in the state’s southeastern
panhandle and along the Alaska peninsula, many of which rely on oil-powered
generators, are particularly interested in alternatives such as hydro for
their power needs. Sites are typically isolated, with low levels of
existing recreation, but with important fishery, wilderness and aesthetic
values, plus the potential for recreational growth as the region develops
and demand increases. RTCA’s role is as an advocate for both current and
future recreational users over a 30-50 year license term.
The region currently has two high priority
hydro projects: Cooper Lake (FERC #2170), relicensing of an existing project
on the Kenai Peninsula; and Falls Creek (FERC #11659), a proposed project
near Gustavus that is under study as a result of Congressional legislation.
The Cooper Lake project, which helps serve
Anchorage and other communities on the Southcentral AK grid, was built in
the late 1950s, not long after the first road connection to Anchorage was
completed. This 20-MW (megawatt, or one million watts) project diverts flow
from the Cooper Creek watershed to a powerhouse located on Kenai Lake. The
project region includes lands within Chugach National Forest and Kenai
National Wildlife Refuge. The nearby Kenai River is a mecca for salmon
fishers, while surrounding mountains and lakes provide backcountry
recreation year ‘round. Interest is high in improved recreational access to
the project area, and in increased flows to support a revitalized Cooper
Creek fishery.
Falls Creek (Kahtaheena River) is a remote
mountain stream located within designated wilderness in Glacier Bay National
Park and Preserve. The ongoing study required by Congress puts the
Department of the Interior in a co-lead role with FERC as decisionmaker on
the license proposal. RTCA has supported NPS’s work on the project by
providing guidance regarding techniques for assessing recreational and
aesthetic impacts.
