Ship Creek (Alaska) Explained

Ship Creek
Map:Anchorage Watersheds.jpg
Map Size:300
Pushpin Map:USA Alaska Anchorage#USA Alaska
Pushpin Map Size:300
Pushpin Map Caption:Location of Mouth of Ship Creek
Subdivision Type1:Country
Subdivision Name1:United States
Subdivision Type2:State
Subdivision Name2:Alaska
Subdivision Type4:Municipality
Subdivision Name4:Anchorage
Length:25miles
Discharge1 Location:Knik Arm
Discharge1 Min:56cuft/s
Discharge1 Avg:262cuft/s
Discharge1 Max:870cuft/s
Source1:Ship Lake
Source1 Location:Chugach Mountains
Source1 Coordinates:61.143°N -149.541°W
Source1 Elevation:2700feet
Mouth:Knik Arm, Anchorage
Mouth Coordinates:61.224°N -149.893°W
Basin Size:114disp=preunitNaNdisp=preunit
Tributaries Right:North Fork Ship Creek

Ship Creek (Dena'inaDgheyaytnu) is an Alaskan river that flows from the Chugach Mountains into Cook Inlet. The Port of Anchorage at the mouth of Ship Creek gave its name ("Knik Anchorage") to the city of Anchorage that grew up nearby.[1]

The river lies entirely within the limits of the Municipality of Anchorage, Alaska. Most of its upper length traverses Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson.[2]

History

The Dena'ina language name for the creek is Dgheyaytnu.[3] In early 1915, a tent city formed at the mouth of Ship Creek for workers involved in the construction of the Alaska Railroad.[4] This disorganized community was soon relocated south to the bluffs along the creek, forming what would become the early town of Anchorage. In July 1923, President Warren G. Harding arrived at the Ship Creek rail station during his tour of the state to celebrate the completion of the Alaska Railroad and deliver several speeches in Anchorage.[5]

Recreation

Ship Creek is a popular area for sport fishing and is considered the only urban king salmon fishery in the world.[6] It has an annual run of Coho and Chinook salmon and regularly hosts a salmon derby.[7]

Watershed and Hydrology

Ship Creek's headwaters begin high in the Chugach Mountains at Ship Lake. After a swift descent over mountain bedrock, the creek flows along a sloping glacial outwash plain composed of relatively permeable coarse-grained alluvial deposits as it approaches Knik Arm.[8] It has a drainage area of over 100disp=preunitNaNdisp=preunit, much of which lies within the Joint Base Elmendorf Richardson military reservation in the Chugach Mountains.[9] [10]

The streamflow of Ship Creek has been measured by the USGS since 1946. The mean flow between 1946 and 2020 was, with the lowest daily flow recorded in 1971 at and the highest in 1960 at .[11]

Water temperatures range from 0C throughout the winter (Dec-Mar) to as high as 15C in July.[12]

See also

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Department of the Interior, US Geological Survey. Stephen R. Capps . Bulletin 607: The Willow Creek District Alaska . pdf. 2020-05-24.
  2. Ship Creek. 15 January 2016.
  3. Web site: Alaska Department of Fish and Game. James Kari and James Fall. Original Alaska Names by the Original People . url. 1 July 2020.
  4. News: Anchorage Centennial: How well do you know Alaska's largest city?. Alaska Dispatch News. August 9, 2015. url. 24 May 2020.
  5. News: Anchorage Centennial: How well do you know Alaska's largest city?. Alaska Dispatch News. August 9, 2015. url. 24 May 2020.
  6. News: AK: World’s only urban king fishery has lines casting in downtown Anchorage. Alaska Public Media. June 16, 2017. 24 May 2020.
  7. News: Whether you’re flying out or in the city, Alaska is what fishing dreams are made of. Anchorage Daily News. April 27, 2019. url. 24 May 2020.
  8. Web site: Preliminary Report on Water Availability in the Lower Ship Creek Basin, Anchorage, Alaska . U.S. Geological Survey. January 1976. pdf. 24 May 2020.
  9. Web site: USGS 15276000 SHIP C NR ANCHORAGE AK . U.S. Geological Survey. National Water Information System. 1946–2020. url. 24 May 2020.
  10. Web site: Ship Creek Data Report 2004-2005 . Alaska Department of Environmental Conservation. June 2005. pdf. 24 May 2020.
  11. Web site: USGS 15276000 SHIP C NR ANCHORAGE AK . U.S. Geological Survey. National Water Information System. 1946–2020. url. 24 May 2020.
  12. Web site: USGS 15276000 SHIP C NR ANCHORAGE AK . U.S. Geological Survey. National Water Information System. 1946–2020. url. 24 May 2020.