AK - Kenai Peninsula Streams Hit Record High Temps., Acidity Levels

KENAI - "Lower Kenai Peninsula salmon streams are running hot, but not the kind of "hot" that would send anglers running to cast their lines. A report by the Homer Soil and Water Conservation District said that during parts of recent years, the Anchor River, Ninilchik River, Stariski Creek and Deep Creek frequently were too warm, contained too much phosphorus, tested too acidic or showed increased levels of sediment - none of which is healthy for salmon fry.

"A Preliminary Water Quality Assessment of Lower Kenai Peninsula Salmon-bearing Streams" sought to document recovery of rivers and streams following 2002 floods. However, data collected over six years also has revealed threats to salmon habitat. Water temperatures in summer months often exceeded the Alaska standard for spawning areas, 55 degrees.

No state standard exists for phosphorus, but the waterways frequently contained amounts exceeding the federal level recommended by the Environmental Protection Agency. The study also found acidic water and increased sedimentation.

EDIT

According to the study, the Anchor River water temperature in 2002 exceeded the state limit for spawning and fry incubation on 54 summer days. In 2003, that jumped to 60 days. Preliminary data collected by environmental watchdog Cook Inlet Keeper, which collected the water date for the district, showed temperatures exceeded the upper limit on 86 days in 2004. Similar situations were found in the Ninilchik River and Stariski and Deep creeks."

EDIT

http://juneauempire.com/stories/121304/sta_20041213008.shtml

My daughter lives in Skagway and for the last 3 winters she says its been unusually warm.

Last winter I put the Skagway weather report on my home page and noticed that more often than not we had colder temps than they did. And we live in Arkansas.