River and Lake Erosion

Project description: Alaska communities are experiencing erosion at a faster rate than in the past. Many communities are experiencing impacts, some are being displaced. Erosion is affecting coastal, river and lake communities, but in some different ways and different drivers. This project hosted by the University of Alaska Fairbanks and State of Alaska Coastal Hazards Program, collects and maps observations about river erosion events and provides information about strategies to monitor erosion at the community level. These observations are a signal of an environmental change, and potentially an active or emerging erosion problem. These observations provide an opportunity for communities to document these events, and for outreach on strategies for developing standardized monitoring systems.

Monitoring guidance: There are few standardized erosion monitoring systems in Alaska. Most are in coastal communities, but some of the methods and strategies also have value for river and lake communities. Measuring the distance to an erosion feature, time lapse cameras and probing the ground for erosion thaw zones are all strategies that can be used to help understand erosion risk and extent.

The State of Alaska Coastal Hazards Program at DGGS "is engaged in ongoing investigations that will expand our understanding of how the coastline has evolved and how it will respond to hazardous events and long-term changes." The Coastal Hazards Program is currently working with Sea Grant and the University of Alaska Fairbanks Geoscience Department to build capacity and share instruments and strategies for local monitoring of shoreline erosion and change. Monitoring stations are being established. A training in collaboration with the Bristol Bay Native Association was held in Dillingham, August 15 and 16, 2016. The approach involves installation of time lapse cameras along with precise GPS measurements of baseline shore conditions. A "Shoreline Monitoring Site Installation Guide" has been developed to provide guidance for establishing community based programs. Resources include a handout: "Measuring the Shoreline with Stakes and Time-Lapse Photography". Also available is a "Coastal Shoreline Measurements, Time-lapse Camera Data Sheet." For more information, contact Project Lead, Jacquelyn Overbeck.

Resources:

• U.S. Army Corps of Engineers – Alaska Baseline Erosion Assessment

• Sea Grant – Developing Long-Term Records of Sea Level Fluctuations and Barrier Beach Evolution to Enhance Understanding of Ongoing and Future Coastal Change

ANTHC – (Community Camera Project) This project uses time lapse cameras located in northern communities to monitor change over long time periods. Typically the cameras are mounted at sites selected by local partners, and the cameras take one image per day. The images are then compiled into videos that help to evaluate important local topics and environmental indicators, such as weather, seasonal change, infrastructure, vegetation, erosion, ice conditions and water level. See camera location map