Ship Creek Unplugged - Restoring Ship Creek to a More Natural Condition

Ship Creek Unplugged UPDATE!

The Anchorage Waterways Council has promoted the “Ship Creek Unplugged” program for almost five years now.  It has been a process with changing views, changing opinions and changing project designs.  It is now 2007, and we are pleased to let the Anchorage community know that we are ready to move forward and apply for the appropriate permits for full removal of the KAPP Dam!

These next few months will be filled with permit applications, meetings, grant research, and collaboration with a number of people, agencies and organizations to reach out to the Anchorage community and educate them on the advantages of removing a dam that no longer has a purpose.  A 50% design study for full dam removal will be completed by the end of the year.

GOALS:

• 1. Restore the river’s sediment transport.
• 2. Improve fish passage on the lower 7 miles of Ship Creek.
• 3. Enhance degraded spawning habitat.
• 4. Increase riparian functions.

OBJECTIVES:

• 1. Remove three failing culverts at the mouth of Ship Creek.
• 2. Modify the Knik Arm Power Plant (KAPP) Dam.
• 3. Remove or modify the Elmendorf Dam.
• 4. Remove or modify the Fort Richardson Dam.
• 5. Complete several stream bank revegetation projects.