Blog Posts

Thermal Response of Western Alaska Lakes and Lagoons to Past, Present, and Future Changes in Climate

7/31/2019

Water temperature in lakes and lagoons plays a key role in hydrology, water quality, and habitat suitability for aquatic organisms. The purpose of this project is to provide land and resource managers with information related to the past, present, and future temperature trends in lake surface waters in western Alaska. Through a combination of remote sensing, in situ data collection, model development, we will analyze similarities and differences related to spatial and temporal patterns of lake surface temperatures in western Alaska from 1985 to 2100.

Project ID: WA2011_03

Lead Investigator: Ben Jones, USGS; Christopher Arp, University of Alaska Fairbanks; Simon Hook, NASA JPL

Collaborators: John Lenters, University of Nebraska-Lincoln; Jeff Shearer, NPS; Daniel Gillliken, Ron Britton, Bill Pyle, Pat Walsh & Tina Moran, USFWS; Mike Brubaker, Alaska Native Tribal Health Consortium; Daniel Schindler, University of Washington, Guido Grosse, University of Alaska Fairbanks; Craig Ely, USGS

Project Duration: 2011-2014

Climate Change Health Assessments for Three Coastal, Riverine and Lake System Communities

7/31/2019

This project evaluates the connections between climate change impacts and health in Bristol Bay communities. Climate change impacts were assessed through the lens of public health, with an eye towards the potential effects on disease, injury, food and water security, and mental health. Three focal communities were included in this assessment: Nondalton, a lake community, Levelock, a river community, and Pilot Point, a coastal community. The resulting assessment reports will be used to assist focal communities, as well as neighboring communities, in addressing climate-change related issues.

Project ID: WA2011_12

Lead Investigator: Susan Flensburg, Bristol Bay Native Association; Michael Brubaker, Alaska Native Tribal Health Consortium

Collaborators: Jennifer Skarada, Bristol Bay Area Health Consortium, Michael Knapp, Blud Skies Solutions, LLC; Izetta Chambers, UAF Alaska Sea Grant Marine Advisory Program

Project Duration: 2011 - 2014

Watershed Control of Hydrologic Sources and Thermal Conditions in SW Alaska Streams: A Framework for Forecasting Effects of Changing Climate

7/31/2019

Western Alaska is one of the fastest warming regions on the globe and recent trends are expected to continue into the next century, likely having substantial effects on the aquatic resources of this region. While increased air temperatures will have direct effects on water temperatures, indirect effects due to changes in precipitation, groundwater characteristics, and flow regimes may have much larger effects on aquatic ecosystems. Coastal watersheds of Western Alaska are expected to receive 25-50% more snow and 18-25% more rain in the next century. Future “climate warming” may actually cool some streams if the ratio of snow to rain increases for coastal watersheds, while rain-dominated streams are likely to become warmer during the open water season.

Project ID: WA2011_05

Lead Investigator: Daniel Schindler & Peter Lisi, University of Washington School of Aquatic and Fishery Sciences

Collaborators: Patrick Walsh & Mark Lisac, USFWS Togiak National Wildlife Refuge; Bill Berkhahn & Claire LeClair, Alaska Department of Natural Resources

Project Duration: 20XX - 20XX

Moored All-Season Vertical Temperature Arrays in Lakes of Kodiak, Togiak, and Alaska Peninsula/Becharof NWRs

7/31/2019

Water temperature influences all biological and physicochemical interactions within aquaticsystems. Water temperature monitoring is an essential part of lake management capable of providing early warning signs of climate change using straight-forward, low-cost techniques. Water temperature data acquired in this study will be used to support analyses of trend of the lacustrine component of sockeye salmon habitat. The need for such analyses is acute because climate change will influence lake habitat quality; growth and survival of juvenile sockeyesalmon; and subsistence, recreational, and commercial harvest opportunities. Additionally, data acquired in this project will be eventually combined with data collected by the National Park Service, the University of Washington, and the U.S. Geological Survey’s Alaska Science Center to facilitate analysis and interpretation of lake temperature trend across the entire Western Alaska LCC geography.

Project ID: WA2011_04

Lead Investigator: Bill Pyle, USFWS

Collaborators: Jeff Shearer, NPS; Ron Britton & Patrick Walsh, USFWS

Project Duration: 2011 - 2013

Forward>>

Freshwater Projects

Thermal Response of Western Alaska Lakes and Lagoons to Past, Present, and Future Changes in Climate

​Climate Change Health Assessments for Three Coastal, Riverine and Lake System Communities

Watershed Control of Hydrologic Sources and Thermal Conditions in SW Alaska Streams: A Framework for Forecasting Effects of Changing Climate

​​Moored All-Season Vertical Temperature Arrays in Lakes of Kodiak, Togiak, and Alaska Peninsula/Becharof NWRs

Climate Change Health Assessments for Three Coastal, Riverine and Lake System Communities

Moored All-Season Vertical Temperature Arrays in Lakes of Kodiak, Togiak, and Alaska Peninsula/Becharof NWRs