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42-585: The Alaska Wildlife Conservation Center is a non-profit organization dedicated to conservation, research, education, and animal care. The center is located on about 200 acres (81 ha) at the head of Turnagain Arm and the entrance to Portage Valley, Milepost 79 of the Seward Highway , about 11 mi southeast of Girdwood . The center is in the Municipality of Anchorage on the approximant border of

84-475: A Falcated Duck was spotted at Potter Marsh , a first for the area and the whole state of Alaska. The last sighting was on May 4, 2019 60°59′14″N 149°47′41″W  /  60.9872°N 149.7947°W  / 60.9872; -149.7947 Prince William Sound Prince William Sound ( Sugpiaq : Suungaaciq ) is a sound off the Gulf of Alaska on the south coast of the U.S. state of Alaska . It

126-734: A 14-acre (5.7 ha) enclosure with a stream. The center offers educational programs and tours in self-guided, drive-through or walk-through formats. Starting in 2003, the center has taken part in a program to reintroduce the wood bison back into Alaska after a 100-year absence. The wood bison is the largest land mammal in North America, and is a keystone grazing herbivore from the region. Conservationists transferred thirteen wood bison from various Canadian wildernesses to this wildlife conservation center in 2006. They sent fifty-three more Canadian wood bison from Alberta's Elk Island National Park for their survival two years later. This project

168-422: A catastrophic tsunami within the next two decades, or possibly even within the next twelve months. The researchers cautioned their analysis had not yet been peer-reviewed. The Alaska Department of Natural Resources subsequently issued a warning that "an increasingly likely landslide could generate a wave with devastating effects on fishermen and recreationalists". Most of the land surrounding Prince William Sound

210-404: A height of about 220 ft (67 m). On March 24, 1989, the oil tanker Exxon Valdez ran aground on Bligh Reef after leaving Valdez, causing a large oil spill , which resulted in massive damage to the environment , including the killing of around 250,000 seabirds, nearly 3,000 sea otters , 300 harbour seals , 250 bald eagles and up to 22 killer whales . It is considered to be one of

252-728: A massive underwater landslide, resulting in the deaths of 32 people between the collapse of the Valdez city harbor and docks, and inside the ship that was docked there at the time. Nearby, a 27-foot (8.2 m) tsunami destroyed the village of Chenega, killing 23 of the 68 people who lived there; survivors out-ran the wave, climbing to high ground. Post-quake tsunamis severely affected Whittier, Seward, Kodiak, and other Alaskan communities, as well as people and property in British Columbia, Washington, Oregon, and California. Two types of tsunamis were produced by this subduction zone earthquake. There

294-606: A portion of the southern edge of the Chugach State Park along Turnagain Arm. Turnagain Arm boasts the second highest tides in North America after the Bay of Fundy . These tides, which can reach 40 feet (12 meters), come in so quickly that they produce a wave known as a bore tide . Adventurous kayakers and surfers have taken to riding the tide as an extreme sport . Hikers should take care not to get stuck in

336-472: A succession of rocks, which as a whole are of remarkably uniform appearance and composition. They are of sedimentary origin and consist chiefly of fine-grained gray and bluish-black slates and gray arkoses. Interstratified with these, but in far less amount, are quartzose beds and occasional thin conglomerates. In a few places north of Turnagain Arm this series of rocks, called by Mendenhall "the Sunrise series",

378-537: A surfactant and solvent mixture, was applied to the slick by a private company on March 24 with a helicopter. But the helicopter missed the target area. Scientific data on its toxicity were either thin or incomplete. In addition, public acceptance of a new, widespread chemical treatment was lacking. Landowners, fishing groups, and conservation organizations questioned the use of chemicals on hundreds of miles of shoreline when other alternatives may have been available. Because Prince William Sound contained many rocky coves where

420-402: Is cut by dikes of igneous rock of an aplitic or granitic character. These igneous rocks were not found in the region immediately south of the arm. The whole rock succession is closely folded, and the arkoses as well as the slates show cleavage, which is, however, much more perfectly developed in the slates. Immense deposits of gravel occur at a number of localities, but are especially noticeable in

462-559: Is exceeded in individual size by the spruces. The conifers ascend the mountain slopes to about 2,000 feet (610 m) but above that point rapidly disappear. Beyond this elevation are alder thickets, small patches of dwarf willows and birches, and vast stretches of waving grass from 1–3 feet (0.30–0.91 m) high. Still higher, the slopes and rounded backs of the ridges are cushioned with a mass of heather and heather-like shrubs, chiefly Empetrum nigrum . This extends up to an approximate altitude of 5,000 feet (1,500 m), above which there

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504-619: Is located on the east side of the Kenai Peninsula . Its largest port is Valdez , at the southern terminus of the Trans-Alaska Pipeline System . Other settlements on the sound, which contains numerous small islands, include Cordova and Whittier plus the Alaska native villages of Chenega and Tatitlek . James Cook entered Prince William Sound in 1778 and initially named it Sandwich Sound, after his patron

546-457: Is low and comparatively flat, but is for the most part heavily wooded. The flora of the mountainous district about Turnagain Arm is different from that of the coastal plains of other parts of the inlet. The low country near Hope consists of a grassy tide flat, about 50 acres in extent, and a few miles of forest and occasional small swamps along the lower part of Resurrection Creek. Balsam poplars , paper birches , alders , and willows abound near

588-400: Is very little or no plant growth. The whole country is characterized by the abundance of high grass; otherwise it is a typical Hudsonian-Alpine region. Dall sheep , hoary marmot , American black bear , American marten , and long-tailed chickadee are noted. An endangered population of Beluga Whales are commonly seen traversing the waterway with rising and falling tides. On May 3, 2019,

630-627: The Earl of Sandwich . Later that year, the Sound was named to honour George III 's third son Prince William Henry , then aged 13 and serving as a midshipman in the Royal Navy . In 1790, the Spanish explorer Salvador Fidalgo entered the sound, naming many of its features. Some places in the sound still bear the names given by Fidalgo, as Port Valdez, Port Gravina or Cordova . The explorer landed on

672-562: The Kenai Peninsula and the Kenai Mountains to the south and the Chugach Mountains to the north. It is a wildlife sanctuary for orphaned or injured wildlife, as well as home or temporary home to captive born and translocated wildlife such as wood bison . It is a wildlife sanctuary that provides comfortable, permanent homes for orphaned and injured animals. The Alaska Wildlife Conservation Center opened in 1993 as

714-429: The quicksand -like mudflats that otherwise make up the beaches along Turnagain Arm. Turnagain Arm communities within the Municipality of Anchorage include Indian , Bird , and Girdwood , all along the north shore of the Arm. Portage , at the eastern tip or head of the Arm, is a former settlement destroyed in the 1964 Alaska earthquake . Beluga Point Site , also known as ANC-054, is an archaeological location on

756-600: The Sound in 1908. A tsunami on March 27, 1964, a result of the Good Friday earthquake , killed a number of Chugach villagers in the coastal village of Chenega and destroyed the town of Valdez . Lasting four minutes and thirty-eight seconds, the magnitude 9.2 megathrust earthquake remains the most powerful earthquake recorded in North American history, and the third most powerful earthquake recorded in world history. In Prince William Sound, Port Valdez suffered

798-709: The Turnagain Arm field. Glacier Creek enters Turnagain Arm from the north, 12 miles (19 km) from its eastern end. It is one of the larger tributaries of Turnagain Arm from the north and joins the Arm at a point 75 miles (121 km) from Seward by way of the Alaska Northern Railroad survey. The Dena'ina called Turnagain Arm Tutl'uh , meaning "back water". Turnagain Arm was named by William Bligh of HMS Bounty fame. Bligh served as Cook's Sailing Master on his third and final voyage,

840-516: The actual site of Cordova and took possession of the land in the name of the king of Spain. In 1793, Alexander Andreyevich Baranov founded port Voskresenskii, modern-day Seward , on the south edge of the Sound, which he called Chugach Bay. The three-masted ship, Phoenix , was built there, the first ship built by the Russians in America . Annie Montague Alexander led an expedition through

882-538: The aim of which was discovery of the Northwest Passage . Upon reaching the head of Cook Inlet in 1778, Bligh was of the opinion that both Knik Arm and Turnagain Arm were the mouths of rivers and not the opening to the Northwest Passage. Under Cook's orders Bligh organized a party to travel up Knik Arm, which quickly returned to report Knik Arm indeed led only to a river. Afterwards a second party

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924-450: The arm about 20 miles (32 km) east of the main body of Cook Inlet, and with Sixmile Creek, 8 miles (13 km) farther east; with its various branches, it drains a large part of the northeastern portion of Kenai Peninsula. Resurrection Creek flows in a direction slightly east of north. The town of Hope is located near its mouth. Palmer Creek is its largest tributary. Bear Creek flows into Turnagain Arm 0.5 miles (0.80 km) east of

966-509: The center include timber wolves , Grizzly bears , black bears , Alaskan moose , red foxes , elk , muskoxen , sitka black tailed deer , Porcupine caribou , Canadian lynxes , bald eagles , great horned owls , wood bison , and porcupines . This wildlife conservation center is also home to coyotes . Most of the animals are cared for in large natural habitats. For instance, three brown bears live in an 21-acre (8.5 ha) habitat of brushland and conifers, and two black bears are housed in

1008-458: The center include Jungle Jack Hanna who filmed a few segments for his syndicated program. The center, its animals and staff have also been featured on many episodes of the NatGeo show Dr. Oakley, Yukon Vet . In July 2010 the center's resident porcupine, "Snickers," gained worldwide publicity from video footage in which the friendly rodent appeared to behave like a puppy. The video went viral on

1050-441: The for-profit Big Game Alaska. In 1999, the center became a 501(c)3 non-profit organization , with Mike Miller serving as the center's executive director. The name was officially changed to Alaska Wildlife Conservation Center, Inc. in 2007. In 2018, Miller departed the center as executive director, with Dianna Whitney being promoted to that position. In 2019, the center acquired the land and remaining assets from Miller. Animals at

1092-489: The internet in a matter of days. Turnagain Arm Turnagain extends in an east–west direction, and is between 40–45 miles (64–72 km) long. It forms part of the northern boundary of Kenai Peninsula , and reaches on the east to within 12 miles (19 km) of Passage Canal , a western branch of Prince William Sound . Turnagain is characterized by remarkably large tides of up to 40 feet (12 meters) which are

1134-652: The larger ones frequently show by their U-shaped cross section the former presence of glaciers. Glaciers may be still seen at a number of places. Chief among them are Portage Glacier , occupying the Portage Valley between the head of Turnagain Arm and Passage Canal , the two neighboring glaciers which form the headwaters of the Glacier River and Twentymile River , Explorer Glacier, and Skookum Glacier. Besides these, there are several smaller ones on tributaries of Glacier Creek . The Seward Highway follows

1176-471: The largest tides in the United States. The flood tide often begins with a tidal bore especially on large tides with a strong east wind, which has a height of 6 feet (1.8 m) at times, and runs in from the west at a speed of 5–6 miles (8.0–9.7 km) an hour. At low tide, the arm becomes a broad mud flat, cut by the stream channels. Historically small steamers entered and left on high water though

1218-464: The mining camp at its mouth. The larger of the two forks, known as the East Fork, is itself formed by the confluence of a number of small streams. The more important of these are Gulch and Granite creeks on the north, and Lynx and Silvertip creeks on the south. The smaller fork, Canyon Creek , flows almost directly northward and, with its eastern tributary, Mills Creek , has been the chief producer of

1260-469: The mouth of Resurrection Creek. It is nearly 6 miles (9.7 km) long, and follows a northwesterly course through a steep, narrow valley. Bear and Palmer creeks are the two producing streams of this part of the field, and both are connected with Hope by roads. The drainage area of Sixmile Creek is much larger than that of Resurrection Creek, and the stream is formed by the confluence of two large branches, which unite 10 miles (16 km) south of Sunrise ,

1302-471: The north shore of the Arm, while Alaska Wildlife Conservation Center is situated at the head of the Arm near the site of Portage. Major tributaries of Turnagain Arm include the Twentymile River , Portage River , and Placer River . Minor tributaries include Resurrection Creek , Bear Creek, Sixmile Creek , and Glacier Creek , with their branches. Resurrection Creek flows into the south side of

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1344-416: The oil collected, the decision was made to displace it with high-pressure hot water. However, this also displaced and destroyed the microbial populations on the shoreline; many of these organisms (e.g. plankton) are the basis of the coastal marine food chain, and others (e.g. certain bacteria and fungi) are capable of facilitating the biodegradation of oil. At the time, both scientific advice and public pressure

1386-597: The practice is now rare since most if not all the places that they went are now connected by road. The region adjacent to Turnagain Arm is very rugged. South Suicide Peak (Now known as South Yuyanq' Ch'ex) is the tallest mountain rising from the north side of Turnagain, and Mount Alpenglow the highest on the south side. Mountains rise precipitously on both sides of the arm and reach altitudes of 5,000–6,000 feet (1,500–1,800 m). Their tops are ragged and bare. The timber rarely reaches higher than 1,500–2,000 feet (460–610 m). The smaller valleys are narrow and steep, but

1428-432: The streams tributary to Turnagain Arm from the north, and on a few of these claims, notably those on lower Crow Creek, mining was carried out in subsequent years. The output of placer gold was derived from the Turnagain Arm slope of the mountains. Development work on gold quartz lodes was confined largely to the Turnagain Arm basin. The eastern portion of Kenai Peninsula and the region about the head of Turnagain Arm present

1470-417: The streams, and spruces ( Picea canadensis and Picea sitchensis ) and hemlocks ( Tsuga mertensiana ) are common on the slopes and slightly elevated flats. A third species of spruce ( Picea mariana ) is found in the small peat bogs , along with smaller Hudsonian plants. ( Ledum ), crowberry ( Empetrum ), and dwarf birch ( Betula glandulosa ) are in profusion. Of the larger trees, the hemlock is abundant, but it

1512-477: The streams. Evidences of a former period of glacial activity are seen on all sides in broad-bottomed U-shaped valleys, polished rock surfaces, and transported boulders. The shores of Turnagain Arm afford frequent proof of ice action in glacial markings and striated pebbles. Hanging valleys are not uncommon. The east shore along the Kenai Peninsula, from the mouth of Turnagain Arm nearly to Kachemak Bay ,

1554-403: The valleys of Sixmile Creek , Resurrection Creek , and Kenai River . The flat-topped benches have an elevation of nearly 1,000 feet (300 m) above sea level around the lower end of Kenai Lake , and the same elevation was observed in the valleys of the streams mentioned. The bench gravels show a thickness of 100–200 feet (30–61 m) in the upper valleys, where they have been cut through by

1596-531: The worst human-caused environmental disasters . The Valdez spill is the second largest in US waters, after the 2010 Deepwater Horizon oil spill , in terms of volume released. The oil, originally extracted at the Prudhoe Bay Oil Field, eventually impacted 1,300 miles (2,100 km) of coastline, of which 200 miles (320 km) were heavily or moderately oiled with an obvious impact. Chemical dispersant,

1638-611: Was a joint effort with the Alaska Department of Fish & Game and other conservation groups. Several documentaries, features films, and other video media have been shot on location at the Alaska Wildlife Conservation Center including a documentary for National Geographic and Into Alaska featuring Jeff Corwin in 2007, and Into the Wild , starring Emile Hirsch . Other special guests to

1680-466: Was a tectonic tsunami produced in addition to about 20 smaller and local tsunamis. These smaller tsunamis were produced by submarine and subaerial landslides and were responsible for the majority of the tsunami damage. Tsunami waves were noted in over 20 countries, including Peru, New Zealand, Papua New Guinea, Japan, Mexico, and Antarctica. The largest tsunami wave was recorded in Shoup Bay, Alaska, with

1722-540: Was dispatched up Turnagain Arm and it too returned to report only a river lay ahead. As a result of this frustration the second body of water was given the disingenuous name "Turn Again". Early maps label Turnagain Arm as the "Turnagain River". The mineral resources of the Turnagain-Knik region are notable for gold placers and the gold quartz lodes. From 1896 to 1898, a large number of placer claims were staked on

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1764-647: Was to clean everything, but since then, a much greater understanding of natural and facilitated remediation processes has developed, due somewhat in part to the opportunity presented for study by the Exxon Valdez spill. Despite the extensive cleanup attempts, less than ten percent of the oil was recovered. In May 2020, a team of researchers announced that a certain mile-long slope on the Barry Arm fjord in Prince William Sound would likely trigger

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