On This Page
- Alaska Assessment Summary
- Water Quality by Waterbody Type
- Causes of Impairment
- Probable Sources Contributing to Impairments
- Previously Impaired Waters Now Attaining All Uses
- TMDL Alternatives by Cause of Impairment
- Causes of Impairment for 303(d) Listed Waters
- Cumulative TMDLs by Pollutant
- Cumulative Number of TMDLs
Data are also available for these years: 2002 2004 2006
Waterbody Changes from Prior Cycle
Comparison Summary by Reporting Year
For More Information:
Alaska Assessment Report
State Water Quality Program
Alaska 2008 Water Quality Assessment Report
Alaska Assessment Summary for Reporting Year 2008
Description of this table| Size of Water | |||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rivers and Streams (Miles) |
Lakes, Reservoirs, and Ponds (Acres) |
Bays and Estuaries (Square Miles) |
Coastal Shoreline (Miles) |
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| Good Waters | 115.3 | 3,382.0 | 25.1 | ||||||||||||
| Previously impaired waters now attaining all uses |
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| Threatened Waters | |||||||||||||||
| TMDL completed | |||||||||||||||
| TMDL alternative | |||||||||||||||
| Non-pollutant impairment | |||||||||||||||
| TMDL needed | |||||||||||||||
| Impaired Waters | 475.4 | 4,656.1 | .8 | 17.6 | |||||||||||
| TMDL completed | 129.3 | 1,247.0 | .6 | ||||||||||||
| TMDL alternative | 25.2 | .0 | 12.6 | ||||||||||||
| Non-pollutant impairment | |||||||||||||||
| TMDL needed | 320.9 | 3,409.1 | .1 | 5.0 | |||||||||||
| New TMDLs completed | 3.0 | .0 | .0 | .0 | |||||||||||
| Remaining TMDLs needed | 317.9 | 3,409.1 | .1 | 5.0 | |||||||||||
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| Total Assessed Waters | 590.7 | 8,038.1 | 25.9 | 17.6 | |||||||||||
| Total Waters | 365,000.0 | 12,787,200.0 | 33,204.0 | 36,000.0 | |||||||||||
| Percent of Waters Assessed | .2 | .1 | .1 | .0 | |||||||||||
Summary of Water Quality Assessments for Each Waterbody Type
for Reporting Year 2008
Alaska Assessed Waters
Summary of Water Quality Attainment for Rivers and Streams
Reporting Year 2008
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Alaska Assessed Waters
Designated Use Support for Rivers and Streams
Reporting Year 2008*
* Waters assessed for more than one designated use are included in multiple designated use groups below.
Description of this table| Designated Use | Miles Assessed | Percent Good | Percent Threatened | Percent Impaired | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fresh Water; Growth And Propagation Of Fish, Shellfish, Other Aquatic Life And Wildlife | 436.0 | 5.6 | .0 | 94.4 | |
| Fresh Water; Water Recreation; Contact Recreation | 388.7 | .0 | .0 | 100.0 | |
| Fresh Water; Water Recreation; Secondary Recreation | 388.7 | .0 | .0 | 100.0 | |
| Fresh Water; Water Supply; Agriculture, Including Irrigation And Stock Watering | 388.7 | .0 | .0 | 100.0 | |
| Fresh Water; Water Supply; Aquaculture | 388.7 | .0 | .0 | 100.0 | |
| Fresh Water; Water Supply; Drinking, Culinary, And Food Processing | 557.2 | 16.1 | .0 | 83.9 | |
| Fresh Water; Water Supply; Industrial | 388.7 | .0 | .0 | 100.0 | |
| Marine Water; Water Supply; Aquaculture | 1.0 | 100.0 | .0 | .0 |
Alaska Causes of Impairment
for Threatened and Impaired Rivers and Streams
Reporting Year 2008
Description of this table
| Cause of Impairment | Cause of Impairment Group | Miles Threatened or Impaired |
|---|---|---|
| Turbidity | Turbidity | |
| Petroleum Hydrocarbons | Oil and Grease | |
| Sedimentation/Siltation | Sediment | |
| Fecal Coliform | Pathogens | |
| Ammonia, Un-ionized | Ammonia | |
| Residues | Other Cause | |
| Debris/Floatables/Trash | Trash | |
| Dissolved Oxygen | Organic Enrichment/Oxygen Depletion | |
| Iron | Metals (other than Mercury) | |
| Polychlorinated Biphenyls (PCBs) | Polychlorinated Biphenyls (PCBs) | |
| Cadmium | Metals (other than Mercury) | |
| Manganese | Metals (other than Mercury) | |
| Arsenic | Metals (other than Mercury) | |
| Copper | Metals (other than Mercury) | |
| Lead | Metals (other than Mercury) | |
| Zinc | Metals (other than Mercury) | |
| Barium | Radiation |
Alaska Probable Sources of Impairments
for Threatened and Impaired Rivers and Streams
Reporting Year 2008
Description of this table
| Probable Source | Probable Source Group | Miles Threatened or Impaired |
|---|---|---|
| Placer Mining | Resource Extraction | |
| Highway/Road/Bridge Runoff (Non-Construction Related) | Urban-Related Runoff/Stormwater | |
| Unspecified Urban Stormwater | Urban-Related Runoff/Stormwater | |
| Municipal Point Source Discharges | Municipal Dishcarges/Sewage | |
| Unspecified Domestic Waste | Municipal Dishcarges/Sewage | |
| Highways, Roads, Bridges, Infrastructure (New Construction) | Construction | |
| Site Clearance (Land Development Or Redevelopment) | Construction | |
| Other Recreational Pollution Sources | Recreation And Tourism (Non-Boating) | |
| Silviculture Harvesting | Silviculture (Forestry) | |
| Other Spill Related Impacts | Spills/Dumping | |
| Impacts From Hydrostructure Flow Regulation/Modification | Hydromodification | |
| Drainage/Filling/Loss Of Wetlands | Habitat Alterations (Not Directly Related To Hydromodification) | |
| Post-Development Erosion And Sedimentation | Hydromodification | |
| Streambank Modifications/Destabilization | Hydromodification | |
| On-Site Treatment Systems (Septic Systems And Similar Decentralized Systems) | Municipal Dishcarges/Sewage | |
| Inappropriate Waste Disposal | Spills/Dumping | |
| Urban Runoff/Storm Sewers | Urban-Related Runoff/Stormwater | |
| Subsurface (Hardrock) Mining | Resource Extraction | |
| Silviculture Activities | Silviculture (Forestry) | |
| Rcra Hazardous Waste Sites | Industrial | |
| Landfills | Land Application/Waste Sites/Tanks | |
| Contaminated Sediments | Legacy/Historical Pollutants | |
| Nps Pollution From Military Port Facilities | Military Bases | |
| Forest Roads (Road Construction And Use) | Silviculture (Forestry) | |
| Mine Tailings | Resource Extraction | |
| Impacts From Abandoned Mine Lands (Inactive) | Resource Extraction | |
| Surface Mining | Resource Extraction |
Alaska Assessed Waters
Summary of Water Quality Attainment for Lakes, Reservoirs, and Ponds
Reporting Year 2008
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Alaska Assessed Waters
Designated Use Support for Lakes, Reservoirs, and Ponds
Reporting Year 2008*
* Waters assessed for more than one designated use are included in multiple designated use groups below.
Description of this table| Designated Use | Acres Assessed | Percent Good | Percent Threatened | Percent Impaired | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fresh Water; Growth And Propagation Of Fish, Shellfish, Other Aquatic Life And Wildlife | 4,669.1 | 1.8 | .0 | 98.2 | |
| Fresh Water; Water Recreation; Contact Recreation | 3,756.1 | .0 | .0 | 100.0 | |
| Fresh Water; Water Recreation; Secondary Recreation | 3,756.1 | .0 | .0 | 100.0 | |
| Fresh Water; Water Supply; Agriculture, Including Irrigation And Stock Watering | 3,756.1 | .0 | .0 | 100.0 | |
| Fresh Water; Water Supply; Aquaculture | 4,586.1 | .0 | .0 | 100.0 | |
| Fresh Water; Water Supply; Drinking, Culinary, And Food Processing | 7,125.1 | 46.3 | .0 | 53.7 | |
| Fresh Water; Water Supply; Industrial | 3,756.1 | .0 | .0 | 100.0 |
Alaska Causes of Impairment
for Threatened and Impaired Lakes, Reservoirs, and Ponds
Reporting Year 2008
Description of this table
| Cause of Impairment | Cause of Impairment Group | Acres Threatened or Impaired |
|---|---|---|
| Petroleum Hydrocarbons | Oil and Grease | |
| Dissolved Oxygen | Organic Enrichment/Oxygen Depletion | |
| Fecal Coliform | Pathogens | |
| Manganese | Metals (other than Mercury) | |
| Iron | Metals (other than Mercury) |
Alaska Probable Sources of Impairments
for Threatened and Impaired Lakes, Reservoirs, and Ponds
Reporting Year 2008
Description of this table
| Probable Source | Probable Source Group | Acres Threatened or Impaired |
|---|---|---|
| Other Recreational Pollution Sources | Recreation And Tourism (Non-Boating) | |
| On-Site Treatment Systems (Septic Systems And Similar Decentralized Systems) | Municipal Dishcarges/Sewage | |
| Highway/Road/Bridge Runoff (Non-Construction Related) | Urban-Related Runoff/Stormwater | |
| Unspecified Domestic Waste | Municipal Dishcarges/Sewage | |
| Landfills | Land Application/Waste Sites/Tanks | |
| Nps Pollution From Military Port Facilities | Military Bases | |
| Other Spill Related Impacts | Spills/Dumping |
Alaska Assessed Waters
Summary of Water Quality Attainment for Bays and Estuaries
Reporting Year 2008
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Alaska Assessed Waters
Designated Use Support for Bays and Estuaries
Reporting Year 2008*
* Waters assessed for more than one designated use are included in multiple designated use groups below.
Description of this table| Designated Use | Square Miles Assessed | Percent Good | Percent Threatened | Percent Impaired | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fresh Water; Growth And Propagation Of Fish, Shellfish, Other Aquatic Life And Wildlife | 4.9 | 100.0 | .0 | .0 | |
| Fresh Water; Water Recreation; Contact Recreation | .0 | .0 | .0 | 100.0 | |
| Fresh Water; Water Recreation; Secondary Recreation | .0 | .0 | .0 | 100.0 | |
| Fresh Water; Water Supply; Agriculture, Including Irrigation And Stock Watering | .0 | .0 | .0 | 100.0 | |
| Fresh Water; Water Supply; Aquaculture | .0 | .0 | .0 | 100.0 | |
| Fresh Water; Water Supply; Drinking, Culinary, And Food Processing | .0 | .0 | .0 | 100.0 | |
| Fresh Water; Water Supply; Industrial | .0 | .0 | .0 | 100.0 | |
| Marine Water; Growth And Propagation Of Fish, Shellfish, Other Aquatic Life And Wildlife | 20.9 | 96.4 | .0 | 3.6 | |
| Marine Water; Harvesting For Consumption Of Raw Mollusks Or Other Raw Aquatic Life | .7 | .3 | .0 | 99.7 | |
| Marine Water; Water Recreation; Contact Recreation | .8 | 12.1 | .0 | 87.9 | |
| Marine Water; Water Recreation; Secondary Recreation | .7 | .3 | .0 | 99.7 | |
| Marine Water; Water Supply; Aquaculture | .8 | .3 | .0 | 99.7 | |
| Marine Water; Water Supply; Industrial | .7 | .3 | .0 | 99.7 | |
| Marine Water; Water Supply; Seafood Processing | .8 | 12.0 | .0 | 88.0 |
Alaska Causes of Impairment
for Threatened and Impaired Bays and Estuaries
Reporting Year 2008
Description of this table
| Cause of Impairment | Cause of Impairment Group | Square Miles Threatened or Impaired |
|---|---|---|
| Debris/Floatables/Trash | Trash | |
| Sulfide-Hydrogen Sulfide | Toxic Inorganics | |
| Dissolved Oxygen | Organic Enrichment/Oxygen Depletion | |
| Residues | Other Cause | |
| Ammonia, Total | Ammonia | |
| Biochemical Oxygen Demand (BOD) | Organic Enrichment/Oxygen Depletion | |
| 4-Methylphenol | Toxic Organics | |
| Organic Enrichment (Sewage) Biological Indicators | Organic Enrichment/Oxygen Depletion | |
| Copper | Metals (other than Mercury) | |
| Mercury | Mercury | |
| Petroleum Hydrocarbons | Oil and Grease | |
| Cobalt | Metals (other than Mercury) | |
| Silver | Metals (other than Mercury) | |
| Arsenic | Metals (other than Mercury) | |
| Iron | Metals (other than Mercury) | |
| Lead | Metals (other than Mercury) | |
| Cadmium | Metals (other than Mercury) | |
| Zinc | Metals (other than Mercury) |
Alaska Probable Sources of Impairments
for Threatened and Impaired Bays and Estuaries
Reporting Year 2008
Description of this table
| Probable Source | Probable Source Group | Square Miles Threatened or Impaired |
|---|---|---|
| Industrial Point Source Discharge | Industrial | |
| Seafood Processing Operations | Aquaculture | |
| Highway/Road/Bridge Runoff (Non-Construction Related) | Urban-Related Runoff/Stormwater | |
| Historic Bottom Deposits (Not Sediment) | Legacy/Historical Pollutants | |
| Silviculture Activities | Silviculture (Forestry) | |
| Mine Tailings | Resource Extraction |
Alaska Assessed Waters
Summary of Water Quality Attainment for Coastal Shoreline
Reporting Year 2008
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Alaska Assessed Waters
Designated Use Support for Coastal Shoreline
Reporting Year 2008*
* Waters assessed for more than one designated use are included in multiple designated use groups below.
Description of this table| Designated Use | Miles Assessed | Percent Good | Percent Threatened | Percent Impaired | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Marine Water; Growth And Propagation Of Fish, Shellfish, Other Aquatic Life And Wildlife | 5.0 | .0 | .0 | 100.0 | |
| Marine Water; Harvesting For Consumption Of Raw Mollusks Or Other Raw Aquatic Life | 5.0 | .0 | .0 | 100.0 | |
| Marine Water; Water Recreation; Contact Recreation | 5.0 | .0 | .0 | 100.0 | |
| Marine Water; Water Recreation; Secondary Recreation | 5.0 | .0 | .0 | 100.0 | |
| Marine Water; Water Supply; Aquaculture | 17.6 | .0 | .0 | 100.0 | |
| Marine Water; Water Supply; Industrial | 5.0 | .0 | .0 | 100.0 | |
| Marine Water; Water Supply; Seafood Processing | 5.0 | .0 | .0 | 100.0 |
Alaska Causes of Impairment
for Threatened and Impaired Coastal Shoreline
Reporting Year 2008
Description of this table
| Cause of Impairment | Cause of Impairment Group | Miles Threatened or Impaired |
|---|---|---|
| Petroleum Hydrocarbons | Oil and Grease | |
| Residues | Other Cause |
Alaska Probable Sources of Impairments
for Threatened and Impaired Coastal Shoreline
Reporting Year 2008
Description of this table
| Probable Source | Probable Source Group | Miles Threatened or Impaired |
|---|---|---|
| Other Spill Related Impacts | Spills/Dumping | |
| Industrial Point Source Discharge | Industrial |
Alaska Causes of Impairment for Reporting Year 2008
Description of this table
| NOTE: Click on the underlined Cause of Impairment Group to see a list of specific state causes of impairment making up the Cause of Impairment Group. | |||||||||||||||
| Cause of Impairment Group | Size of Assessed Waters with Listed Causes of Impairment | ||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rivers and Streams (Miles) |
Lakes, Reservoirs, and Ponds (Acres) |
Bays and Estuaries (Square Miles) |
Coastal Shoreline (Miles) |
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| Ammonia | 40.0 | .1 | |||||||||||||
| Mercury | .0 | ||||||||||||||
| Metals (other than Mercury) | 7.2 | 2.0 | .0 | ||||||||||||
| Oil and Grease | 65.3 | 3,100.1 | .0 | 12.6 | |||||||||||
| Organic Enrichment/Oxygen Depletion | 7.0 | 1,137.0 | .3 | ||||||||||||
| Other Cause | 20.0 | .2 | 5.0 | ||||||||||||
| Pathogens | 60.3 | 417.0 | |||||||||||||
| Polychlorinated Biphenyls (PCBs) | 4.5 | ||||||||||||||
| Radiation | 1.0 | ||||||||||||||
| Sediment | 61.5 | ||||||||||||||
| Toxic Inorganics | .5 | ||||||||||||||
| Toxic Organics | .1 | ||||||||||||||
| Trash | 7.5 | .5 | |||||||||||||
| Turbidity | 296.6 | ||||||||||||||
Alaska Probable Sources Contributing to Impairments
for Reporting Year 2008
Description of this table
| NOTE: Click on the underlined Probable Source Group to see a list of specific state Probable Sources making up the Probable Source Group. | |||||||||||||||
| Probable Source Group | Size of Assessed Waters with Probable Sources of Impairments | ||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rivers and Streams (Miles) |
Lakes, Reservoirs, and Ponds (Acres) |
Bays and Estuaries (Square Miles) |
Coastal Shoreline (Miles) |
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| Aquaculture | .1 | ||||||||||||||
| Construction | 33.0 | ||||||||||||||
| Habitat Alterations (Not Directly Related To Hydromodification) | 13.0 | ||||||||||||||
| Hydromodification | 39.0 | ||||||||||||||
| Industrial | 4.5 | .3 | 5.0 | ||||||||||||
| Land Application/Waste Sites/Tanks | 4.5 | 2.0 | |||||||||||||
| Legacy/Historical Pollutants | 4.5 | .0 | |||||||||||||
| Military Bases | 4.5 | 2.0 | |||||||||||||
| Municipal Dishcarges/Sewage | 73.3 | 1,137.0 | |||||||||||||
| Recreation And Tourism (Non-Boating) | 19.0 | 3,100.0 | |||||||||||||
| Resource Extraction | 277.3 | .0 | |||||||||||||
| Silviculture (Forestry) | 16.5 | .0 | |||||||||||||
| Spills/Dumping | 22.3 | .1 | 12.6 | ||||||||||||
| Urban-Related Runoff/Stormwater | 155.3 | 417.1 | .0 | ||||||||||||
Alaska TMDL Alternatives by Cause of Impairment 2008
Description of this table
| NOTE: Click on the underlined "Number of TMDL Alternatives by Cause of Impairment " value to see a listing of those Causes of Impairment. | ||||||||||||||
| Cause of Impairment | Number of TMDL Alternatives |
Rivers and Streams (Miles) |
Bays and Estuaries (Square Miles) |
Coastal Shoreline (Miles) |
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|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Petroleum Hydrocarbons | 19 | 13 | ||||||||||||
| 4-Methylphenol | 0 | |||||||||||||
| Ammonia, Total | 0 | |||||||||||||
| Arsenic | 2 | |||||||||||||
| Cadmium | 2 | |||||||||||||
| Copper | 2 | |||||||||||||
| Iron | 2 | |||||||||||||
| Manganese | 2 | |||||||||||||
| Residues | 0 | |||||||||||||
| Sedimentation/Siltation | 4 | |||||||||||||
| Sulfide-Hydrogen Sulfide | 0 | |||||||||||||
Total: 33 TMDL Alternatives
Alaska Previously Impaired Waters Now Attaining All Uses
Description of this table| NOTE: Click on the underlined "Number of Waters Attaining" value for a detailed list of those waters now attaining all uses. | ||
| Cycle Attaining | Number of Waters Attaining | Number of Causes of Impairment Addressed |
|---|---|---|
| 2006 | 2 | |
Alaska Causes of Impairment for 303(d) Listed Waters
Description of this table| NOTE: Click on a cause of impairment (e.g. pathogens) to see the specific state-reported causes that are grouped to make up this category. Click on the "Number of Causes of Impairment Reported" to see a list of waters with that cause of impairment. | |
| Cause of Impairment Group Name | Number of Causes of Impairment Reported |
|---|---|
| Turbidity | |
| Oil and Grease | |
| Sediment | |
| Metals (other than Mercury) | |
| Other Cause | |
| Organic Enrichment/Oxygen Depletion | |
| Total Toxics | |
| Radiation | |
| Trash | |
Total: 41 Causes of Impairment
Alaska Cumulative TMDLs by Pollutant
This chart includes TMDLs since October 1, 1995.
Description of this table| NOTE: Click on the underlined "Pollutant" value to see associated listed waters for which a TMDL was developed. Click on the underlined "Number of TMDLs" value to see a listing of those TMDLs for the pollutant. | ||
| Pollutant | Number of TMDLs | Number of Causes of Impairment Addressed |
|---|---|---|
| Fecal Coliform | 15 | |
| Residues | 6 | |
| Dissolved Oxygen | 3 | |
| Turbidity | 3 | |
| Debris | 2 | |
| Seafood Residue | 2 | |
| Sediment | 3 | |
| Arsenic | 1 | |
| Cobalt | 1 | |
| Copper | 1 | |
| Iron | 1 | |
| Lead | 1 | |
| Manganese | 1 | |
| Mercury | 1 | |
| Polychlorinated Biphenyls (PCBs) | 1 | |
| Silver | 1 | |
| Toxic & Other Deleterious Substances | 1 | |
| Zinc | 1 | |
Total: 44 TMDLs; 45 Causes of Impairment Addressed
Alaska Cumulative Number of TMDLs
EPA Fiscal Year starts October 1 and ends September 30.
Description of this table
| NOTE: Click on the underlined "Number of TMDLs Completed" value for a detailed list of the TMDLs for the fiscal year. | ||
| Fiscal Year | Number of TMDLs | Number of Causes of Impairment Addressed |
|---|---|---|
| 1996 | 1 | |
| 1997 | 3 | |
| 1999 | 2 | |
| 2000 | 4 | |
| 2001 | 1 | |
| 2002 | 5 | |
| 2003 | 2 | |
| 2004 | 6 | |
| 2005 | 4 | |
| 2006 | 2 | |
| 2007 | 3 | |
| 2008 | 2 | |
| 2009 | 8 | |
| 2010 | 2 | |
Total: 44 TMDLs; 45 Causes of Impairment Addressed
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