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29-594: Military expansion in Anchorage during the 1940s stressed the capacity of the Eklutna power generation system and it was upgraded several times. In 1948 the Bureau of Reclamation recommended the construction of Upper Eklutna Dam to raise the level of Eklutna Lake to an elevation of 875 feet (267 m) above sea level with a tunnel intake at 830 feet (250 m). Construction was completed in 1955. The new system replaced

58-595: A United States territory . Only two governors, William A. Egan and Bill Walker , were born in Alaska. Two people, Egan and Wally Hickel , have been elected to multiple non-consecutive terms as governor. Hickel is also noted for a rare third party win in American politics, having been elected to a term in 1990 representing the Alaskan Independence Party . The longest-serving governor of the state

87-649: A 68-foot (21 m) high concrete arch diversion dam (known as the Lower Dam) in the river canyon 8 miles (13 km) downstream of the lake. The diversion dam diverted water through a 1/4 mile-long tunnel to a turbine house near the village of Eklutna . Since its construction, the Lower Eklutna Dam had been a barrier to fish passage. When the Upper Dam was brought online, the Lower Dam was shut down as

116-639: A natural landslide dam in the Eklutna Valley. It regulated the river to the Lower Eklutna Dam which diverted water into the Old Eklutna Power Plant . The lake dam was rebuilt and improved in 1941 after the previous structure failed. During this same year, the population in Anchorage increased greatly with the onset of World War II . To cope with increasing power demand, the United States Bureau of Reclamation proposed

145-500: A result and the Lower Eklutna Dam was allowed to fill with gravel. No longer operational, this dam gradually backfilled upstream for 0.6 miles (0.97 km) with 230,000 cubic yards (180,000 m) of sediment. In 2018 the old dam was removed entirely as part of a restoration project. Eklutna Inc. raised $ 7.5 million for the removal of the Lower Eklutna dam to restore fish and wildlife habitat and fish passage in this section of

174-456: Is 26 ft (7.9 m) tall and 555 ft (169 m) long. It is filled with 5,000 cu yd (3,800 m ) sand, gravel and earth and its crest is 875 ft (267 m) above sea level. The reservoir created by the dam, Eklutna Lake, covers 3,247 acres (1,314 ha) and is 7 mi (11 km) long. At an elevation of 867.5 ft (264.4 m), the reservoir holds 182,000 acre⋅ft (224,000,000 m ) of water. To connect

203-411: Is a rectangular concrete conduit through the dam with an uncontrolled overflow crest. The maximum capacity of the spillway is 3,315 cu ft/s (93.9 m/s). There are no outlet works through the dam, as the power tunnel serves in that capacity. As the Upper Dam impounds 100% of the flow from Eklutna Lake, the river's volume immediately downstream is zero. Anchorage was largely electrified by

232-519: Is the head of government of Alaska . The governor is the chief executive of the state and is the holder of the highest office in the executive branch of the government as well as being the commander in chief of the Alaska's state forces . Twelve people have served as governor of the State of Alaska over 14 distinct terms, though Alaska had over 30 civilian and military governors during its long history as

261-644: The Collector of Customs as the highest ranking federal official in the territory. In 1879, the Navy was given jurisdiction over the department. Some believe the first American administrator of Alaska was Polish immigrant Włodzimierz Krzyżanowski . However, the Anchorage Daily News was unable to find any conclusive information to support this claim. On May 17, 1884, the Department of Alaska

290-701: The Eklutna Hydroelectric Project signed the 1991 Fish & Wildlife Agreement. This agreement "commits the Purchasers to fund studies to determine impacts and propose measures for protection, mitigation, and enhancement of fish and wildlife affected by the projects", with the goal of informing the Governor of Alaska on their designation of a Fish and Wildlife Program for the Eklutna Project. The governor must have this proposal by

319-473: The Eklutna Project. It included raising the dam and installing a new power plant opposite Goat Mountain to the north, along the Knik River . The United States Congress authorized the project on 31 July 1950. Construction began in 1951 and raising the dam commenced the following year. The first generator was commissioned on 8 January 1955, the second and last on 1 April 1955. On 1 July 1955 the entire project

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348-675: The Eklutna watershed. After the dam was removed in the summer of 2018, Eklutna Inc. began their mandated 3-year post-project monitoring. These monitoring efforts are presently ongoing in partnership with the Alaska Department of Fish and Game . The removal of the Lower Eklutna dam was funded largely by the Conservation Fund , but had many other contributors including Trout Unlimited , the Open Rivers Fund of Resources Legacy Fund, Patagonia , New Belgium Brewing ,

377-489: The Lower Eklutna River habitat above its confluence with Thunderbird Creek, as far upstream as the dam removal site. There has not been spawning activity observed above the confluence and it is likely that spawning gravels in this portion of the watershed would freeze during the winter due to low flow. In September 2021, for the first time in 92 years, water began flowing from the lake down the natural course of

406-884: The Marnell Company, the Rasmusson Foundation, the Alaska Community Foundation, the M.J. Murdock Trust, the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation through its Alaska Fish and Wildlife Fund, ConocoPhillips SPIRIT of Conservation Program, Wells Fargo , the Pacific Coastal Salmon Recovery Fund (PCSRF), a congressional grant managed by NOAA Fisheries West Coast Region. In 1997 the Purchasers (Chugach Electric Association, Municipal Light and Power [ML&P], and Matanuska Electric Association [MEA]) of

435-476: The aging storage dam at the lake outlet with a new dam that diverted water through a 4.5-mile (7.2 km) long, 9-foot (2.7 m) diameter concrete lined tunnel with a capacity of 640 cubic feet per second (18 m/s) to a turbine house on the south bank of the Knik River . The dam, as modified, is an earth- and rock-filled structure, 555 feet (169 m) long and contains approximately 5,000 cubic yards (3,800 m) of material. This new plant used essentially

464-416: The confluence with Thunderbird Creek and to the outlet of the river into Knik Arm, as well as Thunderbird Creek itself. These permits would support fish and wildlife by reserving in-stream flow. When the Lower Eklutna dam was constructed there was no consideration for its effects on fish and wildlife. It was later determined that the dam blocked existing sockeye from the accessing their spawning grounds within

493-503: The dam is hydroelectric power generation and it supports a 47 MW power plant. It was first completed in 1929 but was rehabilitated or rebuilt on several occasions over its history. Ownership of the dam and power plant is shared by Chugach Electric and Matanuska Electric. The original dams and power plant was the idea of businessman Frank Reed. It was constructed by the Anchorage Light and Power Company between 1927 and 1929 atop

522-456: The election of a governor and lieutenant governor every four years on the same ticket , with their terms commencing on the first Monday in the December following the election. Governors are allowed to succeed themselves once, having to wait four years after their second term in a row before being allowed to run again. Should the office of governor become vacant, the lieutenant governor assumes

551-560: The entire storage capacity of Eklutna Lake and no water was made available to operate the existing plant at Eklutna. The 1964 Good Friday earthquake severely damaged the dam. Because of this, a new storage dam was built downstream from the existing storage dam at the lake outlet. The new Eklutna Dam (referred to as the Upper Dam) is an earth and rockfill structure 815 feet (248 m) long and 51 feet (16 m) high containing 85,000 cu yd (65,000 m) of material. The spillway

580-534: The greater Eklutna watershed. As late as the mid-1980s native land-locked sockeye (also known as Kokanee ) were observed within Eklutna Lake and are assumed to be remnants of the extirpated sockeye population. Presently, five species of salmon return to the Lower Eklutna River and spawn primarily in its main tributary, Thunderbird Creek [cite]. Salmon smolts, namely Chinook ( Oncorhynchus tshawytscha ) and Coho ( Oncorhynchus kisutch ), have been observed using

609-532: The late 1920s, but as demand increased, Eklutna was selected as a power source because of the hydroelectric potential of the river, then known as Eklutna Creek, and Eklutna Lake. In 1927, the City of Anchorage contracted with the Anchorage Light and Power Company to construct what is now called the Old Eklutna Hydroplant . Construction included a low-head storage dam at the outlet of Eklutna Lake and

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638-564: The reservoir and power plant, there is a 9 ft (2.7 m) diameter, 4.46 mi (7.18 km) long penstock which starts at the intake, located on the northwest corner of the lake. From the intake, water rushes down the penstock where it reaches two 23.5 MW Francis turbine -generators. Water used by the power plant is then discharged into the Knik River. Download coordinates as: List of governors of Alaska The governor of Alaska ( Iñupiaq :  Alaaskam kavanaa )

667-595: The river. It is hoped that returning flow to the upper river will lead to the return of salmon spawning there. The process of regulating the flow and establishing an optimal level could take several years. Eklutna Dam The Eklutna Dam , also referred to as the New Eklutna Dam or Upper Eklutna Dam , is an embankment dam on the Eklutna River about 30 mi (48 km) northeast of Anchorage in Alaska , United States . The primary purpose of

696-400: The year 2024 (25 years after the Eklutna Project transaction date) and have completed the new program's implementation by 2032. Research to assess current status and causes of fish and wildlife degradation are ongoing. The Native Village of Eklutna (NVE) has applied for three different water rights permits. Together the three segments would encompass three miles of the Lower Eklutna River above

725-563: Was Egan, who was elected three times and served nearly 12 years. The longest-serving territorial governor was Ernest Gruening , who served over 13 years. The current governor is Republican Mike Dunleavy , who took office on December 3, 2018. Alaska was purchased by the United States from the Russian Empire in 1867, with formal transfer occurring on October 18, 1867, which is now celebrated as Alaska Day . Before then, it

754-516: Was complete. The Great Alaska earthquake in March 1964 caused significant damage to the dam, particularly the water intake for the power plant. The intake shifted towards the lake and frozen alluvium beneath and near the dam's spillway densified , creating voids. Later, in July of the same year, as the ground thawed, two cracks formed near the spillway and portions of the dam filled the void. The dam

783-485: Was deemed unsafe and a taller embankment dam was constructed just downstream. Construction and rehabilitation was carried out until 1966. In 1997 the Alaska Power Authority sold the dam and power plant to Anchorage Municipal Light and Power, Chugach Electric Association and Matanuska Electric Association for US$ 6 million. Chugach Electric acquired Anchorage Municipal Light and Power in 2020. The dam

812-643: Was known as Russian America or Russian Alaska, controlled by the governors and general managers of the Russian-American Company . The vast region was initially designated the Department of Alaska , under the jurisdiction of the Department of War and administered by Army officers until 1877, when the Army was withdrawn from Alaska. The Department of the Treasury then took control, with

841-545: Was redesignated the District of Alaska , an incorporated but unorganized territory with a civil government. The governor was appointed by the president of the United States . The District of Alaska was organized into Alaska Territory on August 24, 1912. Governors continued to be appointed by the president of the United States. Alaska was admitted to the Union on January 3, 1959. The state constitution provides for

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