By Julian Ramirez The Alaska Center’s Salmon and Clean Water Organizer
The Eklutna River is about 30 minutes north of Anchorage. At 12 miles long, the river connects Eklutna Lake to the ocean - or it used to. In 1929, a dam was built on the river. This dam stopped the river from flowing into the ocean. It also ended a salmon run that had existed in the river for thousands of years. The dam was especially damaging, as the Native Village of Eklutna, located on the banks of the Eklutna River, had relied on the return of these salmon to fish and eat. The river was dammed without their permission, and they lost access to a food source and a major part of their culture. In 1955, another dam was built at the lake.
This project is what we now call the Eklutna Hydroelectric Project. It prevents water from leaving the lake and flowing down the river, and instead redirects that water to create power for Anchorage. Water in the lake is also used to supply Anchorage’s drinking water. About 90% of the water is used to generate electricity, while the other 10% goes toward drinking water.
But why is this important now? In 1991, the federal government sold the dam to three groups: Chugach Electric Association, Matanuska Electric Association, and the Municipality of Anchorage. Under the sale, the new owners were required to mitigate the damage caused by their dam and enhance the river enough that fish and wildlife might return to the area. The owners were given 30 years, and the time has come for them to repair the damage caused to the area.
They released a draft plan in October, received public comments through February, and are currently working to finalize the plan. The draft plan has received a lot of criticism from local environmental groups, because the plan will only restore about 4% of the river and leave a mile of river dry and disconnected from the lake. Sockeye salmon, a fish that historically spawned in Eklutna, need the lake to raise their young.
The Anchorage Assembly has begun a process to sue the owners of the group based on their draft plan. The Assembly says that the current plan should have included the Assembly’s input, because it includes creating a new tax on Anchorage residents. The owners did not consult the assembly in the process, and therefore violated the established legal system.
Even if the plan is changed, Anchorage will still be able to use the lake for drinking water, and possibly for power as well. It’s important that the river be restored enough to fulfill the requirements of the agreement so that the fish can return, and do so in a way that follows the established law.
