Kenai River – An Exceptional River with Clean Water!

For immediate release: July 18, 2023
Contact: Laura Eldred, Division of Water, 907-376-1855

Anchorage, AK — The Alaska Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) has completed two years of water quality data collection on the Kenai River and found no exceedances of Alaska Water Quality Standards.

The Kenai River Water Quality Monitoring Project was developed in response to community concerns over potential elevated dissolved metals concentrations, particularly copper and zinc, in the Kenai River and its tributaries.

Water quality monitoring occurred between April and November at 15 sample sites, spanning from river mile five near the outlet to Cook Inlet to river mile 82.1 at the outlet of Kenai Lake. Sampling at these locations occurred eight times in 2021 and seven times in 2022.

Water samples were analyzed for total metals (copper and zinc), dissolved metals (copper, zinc, and a suite of additional metals), hardness, total dissolved solids, and dissolved organic carbon. Measurements for water temperature, pH, dissolved oxygen, salinity, and turbidity were also collected at each site during each monitoring event. All data from this project meet Alaska Water Quality Standards (18 AAC 70) and will be included during the 2026 Integrated Report.

"The first step in protecting and maintaining healthy water quality in the Kenai River is understanding the current conditions; this project did just that," said Director of Water Randy Bates.

The Kenai River is approximately 82 miles long and flows through a patchwork of protected wilderness, rural development, and urban settings. The river supports all five species of Pacific Salmon, and in turn, serves as the centerpiece for the regional tourism economy through sport and commercial fishing, rafting, and wildlife viewing.

"Ensuring waters are healthy enough to support all the uses on Kenai River requires a team effort with communities, businesses, agencies, and citizens," said Director of Water Randy Bates. "We will proudly continue to support these partners and others in the pursuit of water quality protection throughout the state."

Visit the DEC's water quality reports web page to review the Kenai River water quality monitoring report. DEC will include this dataset in an upcoming Integrated Water Quality Monitoring and Assessment Report cycle.