Annual monitoring provides a basis of record used to evaluate the effect
of breakup flooding events on existing facilities and infrastructure. Data
is also used for analysis and design of proposed infrastructure projects.
As during past spring breakup monitoring, the primary objective of the
2010 Colville River Delta Spring Breakup Hydrologic Assessment was to
monitor and estimate the magnitude of breakup flooding within the
Colville River Delta.
The 2010 spring breakup program also documented observations of any
effects to flow and channel morphology caused by the construction of
winter ice bridges across the East Channel of the Colville River at the
horizontally directionally drilled (HDD) crossing and the Kachemach
River.
Permit stipulations identified in U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE)
Permit No. POA-2004-253 and the State of Alaska Department of Natural
Resources (DNR) Fish Habitat Permit FH04-III-0238 require monitoring of
the Alpine facilities during spring breakup. Permit requirements include
direct and indirect measurements of discharge through existing drainage
structures, and documentation of pad and access road erosion caused by
spring breakup flooding.
State of Alaska Department of Fish and Game (ADF&G) permits FG99-III-
0051-Amendment #7 and FG97-III-0190-Amendment #5 require
monitoring of recharge to Lakes L9312 and L9313. The Alpine facilities
rely on water withdrawal from these lakes for daily operations, the
volume of which is dictated in part by annual spring recharge.
