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DRAFT Final Report ACWA-08-05

8 October 2008

Introduction

Background

The Nushagak River is one of the premier salmon-producing systems in Southwest Alaska. Originating in

the Taylor Mountains and the Alaska Range, the Nushagak watershed drains an extensive area of

tundra, wetlands, and forested lowlands and eventually empties into Bristol Bay. The Nature

Conservancy, working with local residents, has identified the Nushagak River watershed as one of the

most important areas in the region for biodiversity conservation, producing five species of Pacific

salmon and several species of freshwater fish, as well as providing extensive habitat for waterfowl,

moose, and caribou (NMWC, 2007). Seven predominately Native communities and approximately 250

Native allotments depend on the Nushagak River and its tributaries for subsistence harvesting,

commercial fisheries, and renewable resource-based economic activities.

People in local communities are concerned about water quality in the river and possible impacts caused

by increasing development of state and Native lands and threats from non-point source pollution

associated with community growth. Local residents are also concerned about the impacts of increased

recreational use and the growing number of sport fishing and hunting lodges on the river, and the solid

waste and waste water associated with these facilities.

The discovery of one of the largest gold-copper deposits in North America at the headwaters of the

Koktuli River, an important salmon-bearing tributary of the Mulchatna River, poses an additional threat

to the water quality of the lower Nushagak River. If developed, the Pebble Mine could alter water

quality conditions in the Nushagak River with potential impacts to the river’s aquatic biodiversity and

subsistence resources that sustain communities and their cultural identity. The Pebble Project is

currently in the early development stages but has an aggressive timeline for moving forward. Promising

exploration results have also spurred a staking rush and renewed interest in other mineral deposits in

the upper watershed, such as the Shotgun Hills gold deposit in the King Salmon River, another key

tributary in the upper Nushagak. Mining developments in the Nushagak River watershed would also

lead to increased population base, putting additional pressure on water, fish, and wildlife resources.

Previous Water Quality Assessments

The U.S. Geological Survey collected stream discharge on the Nushagak River at Ekwok from 1975 to

1993 (USGS site 15302500). Water quality data was collected by the USGS at Ekwok in 1956 and from

1979 to 1986, and at New Stuyahok and Portage Creek from 1970 to 1971 (USGS, 2008). Currently, the

National Weather Service is collecting stage data from observers in Ekwok. The Nushagak-Mulchatna

Watershed Council (NMWC) sampled tributaries of the Nushagak River for water quality and benthic

macroinvertebrates approximately twice per year from 1999 to 2003 (data sheets on file at BBNA). The

University of Alaska Anchorage (ANHP and ENRI) and BBNA identified environmental indicators for the

Nushagak/Mulchatna River watershed (Boggs et al., 1999). The Nushagak River Watershed Traditional

Use and Conservation Plan (NMWC, 2007) was prepared under the direction of the NMWC to guide

conservation related activities within the watershed. This report documented local knowledge of

important ecological and subsistence areas within the watershed and discussed potential threats to

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Draft Final Report Acwa-08-05 - Continuation Of Lower Nushagak River Fecal Coliform And Water Quality Assessment - Alaska Department Of Environmental Conservation - 2008 Page 4