Water is critically important to all the habitats and species found on Alaska’s Refuges, including Arctic. Our Water Resources Branch provides scientific leadership and technical assistance and collects data to quantify ecological water requirements, address physical and ecologic habitat issues, and provide long-term monitoring to assess changes in the hydrologic and aquatic landscape. The Branch’s work to acquire State water rights, in addition to already existing Federal reserved water rights, provides protection of fish and wildlife habitats and the natural biodiversity of aquatic wildlife, and ensures an adequate water supply for refuge purposes and facilities.
Arctic Refuge has historic stream gaging data for ten sites and water level data for 119 lakes collected between the late 1980’s and early 1990’s. A Water Resource Inventory and Assessment for the Coastal Plain of Arctic Refuge from 1994 is available on here.
