Expanding and Corroborating the Known Extent of Anadromous Waters Throughout the Kenai Peninsula

From 2021-2023, Kenai Watershed Forum (KWF) worked with local volunteers to identify 17.5 stream miles and 1,152 lake acres of previously undocumented anadromous habitat in the central Kenai Peninsula of southcentral Alaska. All habitats identified in this project were near developing core areas near the communities of Kenai and Soldotna and thus were vulnerable to potential development impacts. The nominated habitat areas were primarily juvenile salmonid rearing streams and lakes that are not visually obvious as fish habitat. We submitted these discoveries as nominations to the Alaska Department of Fish and Game’s Anadromous Waters Catalog (AWC) where they were accepted. The project catalyzed new community partnerships as well as future efforts to continue this work.

This project will directly provide long-term habitat protection through the addition of stream miles and lake acreage to the AWC, Alaska’s most stringent tool for conservation of freshwater habitats important to anadromous fish.