Water Resources Research Act Program

Details for Project ID AK-2023-004

Analysis of a persistent late freezing zone on the Tanana River: a case to study to understand the processes causing winter travel hazards in Alaska

Institute: Alaska
Year Established: 2023 Start Date: 2023-09-01 End Date: 2024-08-31
Total Federal Funds: $30,000 Total Non-Federal Funds: $30,000

Principal Investigators: Matthew Scragg

Project Summary: Frozen rivers provide an important transportation corridor for Alaskans through the winter. Knowledge of river ice conditions in relation to climate and hydrology aid safe and efficient travel along frozen rivers for commerce, subsistence activities, and recreation. Recent observations on the Yukon River indicate that river ice has become thinner and open-water zones are more common. On the Tanana River, a tributary of the Yukon, late freezing open water may be becoming more common, potentially presenting an increasing hazard for travelers. Two primary mechanisms are known to cause open-water zones, (1) groundwater upwelling and (2) higher turbulence and water velocity. Changes in late-season hydrology, sedimentation, and permafrost dynamics may play a role in these mechanisms. This project aims to analyze one persistent late-freezing open-water zone on the Tanana River near Fairbanks, Alaska, to better understand and isolate the processes responsible for this persistent hazard and its interannual and long-term occurrence.