Fresh Water Supply for a Village Surrounded by Salt Water, Point Hope, Alaska.

• Main Authors: McFadden,Terry, Collins,Charles
• Other Authors: COLD REGIONS RESEARCH AND ENGINEERING LAB HANOVER N H
• Format: Text
• Language: English
• Published: 1978
• Subjects: Hydrology; Limnology and Potamology; *AQUIFERS; *WATER SUPPLIES; BACTERIA; ALASKA; GROUND WATER; SNOW; CHEMICAL ANALYSIS; VILLAGES; CHUKCHI SEA; Chukchi Sea; Point Hope; Spit The; The Spit; Chukchi; permafrost; Alaska
• Online Access: http://www.dtic.mil/docs/citations/ADA054147; http://oai.dtic.mil/oai/oai?&verb=getRecord&metadataPrefix=html&identifier=ADA054147

Point Hope is a village located on a narrow gravel spit extending eight miles out into the Chukchi Sea. Studies to locate an adequate fresh water source for the village have yielded two possible supplies which will fill the needs of the village. The first is a ground water supply existing on top of the undulating permafrost layer which underlies the gravel spit. This supply consists of several million gallons of water and can be augmented with snow fences which will drift blowing snow into areas where it will drain into the aquifer when it melts. Excess water will overflow the sides of the natural permafrost basin into the ocean on both sides of the spit. The second source is a small lake located approximately four miles from the village. The lake provides water of adequate quality and quantity to be used as a raw water supply; however, this source is not as desirable since it is surface water and supports a higher level of bacterial contamination. In addition, it is a much greater distance from the village and longer and much more expensive piping would be required to get the water to the village. (Author)