Project Profile: Restore and Assess Aquatic Ecosystems to Improve Resilience and Understand Vulnerability

The Coal Creek Dredge, in Yukon-Charley National Preserve.

NPS / Josh Spice

Inflation Reduction Act
Restoration | FY24 $1,900,000

The National Park Service (NPS) will assess watersheds and restore critical habitats in Alaska national parks. The project focuses on Coal Creek in Yukon-Charley National Preserve and Friday and Eureka Creeks in Denali National Park - areas adversely affected by past mining activity, off-road vehicles use, park infrastructure, and water diversions. The NPS aims to quantify the impacts, design restoration plans, and implement priority restoration efforts to bolster ecosystem resilience in the face of rapid climate change and development pressures. The NPS also seeks to identify and characterize freshwater aquatic habitats facing development impacts and to implement mitigation strategies that ensures habitat longevity.

Why? Streams and wetlands in these parks have been impacted by off-road vehicles, water diversions and climate change. The NPS understands that addressing these issues will arm park managers in Alaska and beyond with the tools and knowledge to promote the longevity of aquatic ecosystems. Not only are these environments essential for these parks' ecological balance, they are essential for the lives of local community members who depend on the land.

What Else? The project aligns with the national priority to restore imperiled systems and make science-informed decisions under the National Parks and Public Lands Conservation, Resilience, and Ecosystem Restoration initiative. It addresses challenges posed by climate change and developmental pressures, ensuring the sustainability of freshwater habitats and park infrastructure.

About the Inflation Reduction Act

The Inflation Reduction Act provides the National Park Service with an historic opportunity to address critical ecosystem resilience, restoration, and environmental planning needs. Projects funded in national parks represent broad-scale and impactful resource investments across every corner of our nation—from Alaska to Florida to Maine.