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Another trip up the Knik River
to the Knik Glacier
(north of Anchorage)
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Environmental and Ecological Information
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Volpe Acoustics experts study the Environmental Effects of hovercraft on Fish and Wildlife in Alaska (USPA).
U.S. Army Engineer District, Alaska. King Cove Access Project using hovercraft in place of a road. Downloads the PDF document. More environmental impact studies have been done for the King Cove Access project pertaining to a road around Cold Bay, Alaska.
Here is more coverage of the Cold Bay initiative to protect Alaska's Izembek Refuge.
The Wilderness Society takes a look at the impact of hovercraft.
Dickins Engineering and Environmental Research info on the Stikine Hovercraft Operations. This area is in Southeast Alaska; Cold Bay Hovercraft Evaluation, and ACV noise impacts, using the AP-188 and the LACV- 30.
West Coast AT 25 Environmental Law-Annual reports 1998-99: With EDRF funding, The Friends of the Stikine are able to successfully prove that the use of hovercraft by a mining company to transport gold ore to Alaska is destroying fish habitats. While an EDRF funded lawsuit is denied, the pressure mounted with EDRF support puts an end to the use of the hovercraft. Downloads the PDF document.
Environmental Protection Agency: in National Park System Units in Alaska; Denali National Park and Preserve, Special Regulations
Regulations for Kenai River: This site has a lot of information concerning the effects of boat wake and restrictions to hovercraft on the Kenai Lake and River system.
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Some people are not aware of the difference between Environmental and Ecological. Here are the definitions;
Environmental, refers to the condition of the environment surrounding the object in question, whether it's an organism or a location. It tends to be somewhat dynamic in nature, since things are always in flux, but a 'snapshot' may be taken at any time for reference.
Ecological, refers more to the nature of the relationship between organisms and between environments, and as such is extremely dynamic and difficult to capture at any one time. The only true ecologist is a Planetary Ecologist. All ecological systems are intimately bound together and dependent on each other.
For those of you wishing to access these documents please inquire at hover_ak@hovercraftalaska.com. A lot of this documentation can be found in the US government and State Libraries. We will accommodate you in what ever way we can.
Ecological Monitoring of Alaska Hovercraft
The United States Postal Service (USPS) has completed a 3-year demonstration program to transport bypass mail and non-priority mail by hovercraft on a year-round basis in the Kuskokwim Delta of Alaska. The hovercraft would replace the current method of using fixed-wing airplanes for the transport of bypass and non-priority mail. The program involved Bethel, Alaska, and seven remote Alaskan villages along the Kuskokwim and Johnson Rivers. The USPS Alaska Hovercraft Ecological Monitoring Program evaluated the nature and extent of impacts, if any, from use of the hovercraft to fish, waterfowl, and subsistence efforts. Little is known on the ecological impact of the hovercraft and even less on its potential impact in an arctic environment.
Approximately 1,300 waterfowl were observed along Hovercraft routes on the Kukowkwim and Johnson Rivers. Aerial surveys for breeding waterfowl and general waterfowl use of habitats on and near the rivers were conducted during which approximately 4,900 waterfowl were observed. The Hovercraft was trailed and the hovercraft's route was surveyed for approximately 4,000 miles to observe the direct mortality of adult fish. Approximately 9,000 juvenile fish were individually identified and vitality assessed as the hovercraft purposely passed in shallow water. Approximately 20,000 yards of beach were surveyed as the hovercraft passed by at various distances. A total of 85 stranded fish were observed at 73 Hovercraft landing events. A total of 101 paired gill-netting tests were conducted on the Kuskokwim and Johnson Rivers. Winter blackfish observations revealed that blackfish sometimes slowly swam down away from the surface of the water within fishing holes when the hovercraft passed by, while at other times no reaction was apparent. The result of the ecological monitoring suggests that the hovercraft has an insignificant impact on waterfowl and fish. Furthermore, the monitoring on subsistence gill-netting and winter blackfish fishing showed a negligible impact. Consequently, the hovercraft had an insignificant impact on subsistence gathering of waterfowl and fish resources.
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Studies - Ecology
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Studies - Environmental (con’t)
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1971 - US Army SEV ecology test of summer SEV operations.
1998-2001 Yukon-Kuskokwim Delta Transportation Plan
An updated version of the interagency committee on search and rescue
NAEP Conference 2001: Ecological Impact of Hovercraft in Alaska.
King Cover to Cold Bay impact statement on transportation access project - Intent to prepare a draft. February 16, 2001.
Studies - Environmental
Southwest Alaska Transportation Plan: I have a very interesting paper that includes the hovercraft as a large project. Its prepared by Parsons Brinckeroff for the Alaska Department of Transportation and Public Facilities titled “Freight impact of potential Alaska peninsula roadway segments and regional freight movement summary - Technical Memorandum. If you would like to get a copy or know more about it please contact Ken at hover_ak@hovercraftalaska.com.
National Interagency Workshop on Wetlands: This document is extensive and involves the concerns of hovercraft. Revised April 23, 2002.
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2003 - Innovated Alternative for Wetlands Restoration
This bill is to permit the continued use of foreign built hovercraft in the State of Alaska
This marine tech note, denotes consolidation issues addressed during recent reviews of passenger and cargo carrying hovercraft seeking Coast Guard Certification
HOVERPROBE 2000, A New Tool for Drilling Geologic Cores in Difficult Environments: This article shows that hovercraft work, and can continue to play a role in our concerns for new technology.
Coastal Louisiana, The Impact of Federal Programs on Wetlands: A cooperative, State/Federal program could devise a strategy to apply in Coastal Louisiana innovations which were developed in Alaska to minimize wetlands losses and mitigate the effects of past activities.
A Statement from Lloyd's Register, from the United Kingdom that compliments the cruise industry and our accomplishments in protecting the environment here in Alaska. Including the uses of hovercraft as another good accomplishment.
Postal Service in Court for delivering mail by hovercraft.
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Alaska Administrative Code
Title 5 Fish and Game, Chapter 92, Statewide provisions
Section 520, Closures and Restrictions in State Game Refuges
(2) The Susitna Flats State Game Refuge in Units 14 and 16, which is described in AS 16.20.036, is open to hunting under the following conditions:
(A) the use of a motorized vehicle for hunting is allowed from November 9 through March 31.
(B) From April 1 through November 8. The use of a motorized vehicle, except an aircraft, hovercraft, boat, and snowmachine, is restricted to existing road surfaces, and to use within 1/8 mile of mean high tide or as designated by the department....
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Stretch Contender (Big blue) hovering
around at the Port of Anchorage, Alaska
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Flying back from Fire Island
Shearwater 102-001 and the Stretch Contender
(west of Anchorage International Airport)
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