Since 2010, Cook Inletkeeper and partners have been educating boaters and fishermen in the Susitna Valley on the importance of clean boating practices. Our Clean Boating campaign (http://inletkeeper.org/clean-water/clean-boating/Su-Valley) has been successful at reaching boaters at several priority waterbodies in the Susitna Valley that are listed or at risk for being listed as polluted, including Big Lake, the Little Susitna River, and Deshka River. In 2006, Big Lake was officially listed by DEC as impaired under section 303(d) of the Clean Water Act due to levels of hydrocarbons above State of Alaska water quality standards. The total aromatic hydrocarbon (TAH) level exceeds the State standard of 10µg/l (micrograms per liter) during summer months, especially during good weather and holiday weekends. Oil and gas can enter the water through small leaks, drips, or spills due to improper fueling while on the water, leaking bilges, or improper containment. However, one of the major contributors of hydrocarbons is emissions of unburned fuel from carbureted two-stroke motors. Elevated levels of hydrocarbons occur at times and locations of increased motorized watercraft usage on Big Lake, including good weather days, holiday weekends and near marinas, boat launches and other high traffic areas. The Little Susitna is at risk of water quality impairment due to hydrocarbons, but is not officially listed by DEC. Additionally, increased turbidity in the Little Su due to boat wakes eroding the river banks is an increasing cause of concern. Increased turbidity can impact fish health by clogging gills and impairing respiration. The Deshka River is a river to watch, and may in the future be at risk for elevated levels of hydrocarbons due to a high volume of recreational and commercial guiding fishing traffic. However, further testing needs to be conducted to document current hydrocarbon levels and establish risk.
Our rivers, lakes and ocean are important for recreational boating and fishing, hunting, and access to remote cabins and it’s important to keep the water clean for fish and other aquatic life. Salmon and other fish travel through or reside in these lakes and rivers throughout the year and may be impacted by persistent high levels of hydrocarbons in the water. Research has shown that low levels of hydrocarbon contaminants in water can seriously impact the ability of juvenile fish to develop and grow properly, can reduce a female’s ability to produce healthy eggs, and can impact a fish’s immune system, making them more susceptible to being eaten by predators.
While our Clean Boating campaign has been successful in educating hundreds of individual boaters, water quality on Big Lake and the Little Su has not improved. Building upon experience and partnerships developed over the past several years, we aim to broaden our scope of outreach both to engage a larger number of boaters and to reach boaters throughout the region, including the Susitna Valley, Southcentral, and the Kenai Peninsula. Our goal is two-fold: to encourage boaters to practice clean boating, and at the same time to drive business to local establishments. This program will put local businesses in front of our thousands of regional supporters and boaters who are already familiar with our clean boating program. By offering discounts, boaters are more likely to visit these business during the year, and also spread the word that local businesses are supporting clean water initiatives. To get the word out, we will be advertising the program on radio, social media, and in print media throughout the watershed, in addition to attending community events and sportsman’s shows. We hope that this new and exciting program will engage more boaters in clean boating practices throughout the Cook Inlet watershed while getting whole communities involved. To learn more about this new initiative and to find out more about the Clean Boating program, email Heather at heather@inletkeeper.org or visit our website at: http://inletkeeper.org/clean-water/clean-boating/clean-boating-discount-card-program. Check out the list of businesses participating here: http://inletkeeper.org/resources/business-discounts.