watervulnerability

Chugach National Forest Watershed Vulnerability Assessment, Alaska Region (R10)
assessments. Again, the watershed is generally functioning properly in a natural condition, as is
evidenced by its abundant fisheries resources. However, the watershed needs to be managed well,
maintained, and monitored to continue its productivity. The local community and user groups that derive
the benefits of the resources are probably the best stewards.
Resurrection Creek Watershed
Figure 5. The Resurrection Creek watershed association. The town of Hope and the areas along the coast lie outside
of the Resurrection Creek watershed.
Area Description
The Resurrection Creek watershed was added to this assessment to examine the issues and conditions on
the western side of the Chugach National Forest. Although the watershed is coastal in the sense that it
drains directly to saltwater, the mountains and prevailing storm patterns reduce the precipitation, giving
the watershed a drier climate. Potkin (1997) describes the Kenai Peninsula as a transitional area between
the coastal rainforest and the inland boreal forests. Climate change predictions, however, call for
increasing temperatures, particularly in winter, and increases in precipitation.
The Resurrection Creek watershed is a U-shaped valley with steep slopes, a low- to moderate-gradient
valley floor, and a dendritic stream drainage pattern. The tributary streams are generally steep and form
alluvial areas as they reach the floor.
This watershed is a popular recreation area and has five species of Pacific salmon; it also has a history of
hydraulic mining, forest insect infestation, and occasional wildfires. Mining has been the most disruptive.
The natural tributary channels have been diverted to power hydraulic cannons (Kalli and Blanchet 2001),
while the main creek has been diverted from one side of the valley to the other for easier access to the
alluvial deposits. A one-mile section of the upper creek has had extensive restoration work but the lower
creek still has substantial problems.
288 Assessing the Vulnerability of Watersheds to Climate Change