Originally constructed during the winter of 1998/1999, the Alpine Pipeline System crosses
three major rivers between the Alpine Development CD1 facility and the tie-in to the
Kuparuk Pipeline. The three river crossings are the aboveground crossings of the Kachemach
River and the Miluveach River; and the horizontal directionally drilled (HDD) crossing of the
East Channel of the Colville River.
In 2001, initial monitoring of the HDD crossing was conducted (Baker 2002). Annual
monitoring of the HDD, Kachemach River, and the Miluveach River crossings was conducted
from 2003 through 2006 (Baker 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006). Over the course of these five years of
monitoring, no significant scour, erosion, or VSM (vertical support member) tilt were
observed at the Kachemach and Miluveach River crossings. As a result, in the fall of 2006, a
five-year monitoring interval was recommended. In 2007, monitoring was therefore limited to
the HDD crossing (Baker 2007).
The 2008 monitoring was conducted at all three crossing locations (Baker 2008) and included
surveying by Kuukpik/LCMF, LLC (LCMF). In both 2009 and 2010, LCMF surveying was
conducted only at the HDD crossing location. Baker conducted visual observations and tilt
measurements at all three crossing locations. It is anticipated that LCMF will continue to
provide annual bank erosion survey data for the HDD crossing, and that bank erosion
surveying of the Kachemach and Miluveach will occur again in 2013.
Monitoring allows for a historic comparison between observed conditions and the design
criteria, as required by the Right-of-Way Lease/Grant Stipulations and the Alpine
Surveillance and Monitoring Program. Monitoring is conducted to document the condition of
the pipelines and channel morphology at each of the river crossings. The primary objective is
documentation
