RIVER ICE OBSERVATIONS - HEALY, AK
This village was established as a mining camp in about 1905 and named after the nearby Healy Creek. It subsequently became a station stop on the Alaska Railroad. It is located at 63.857°N,148.966°W on the Nenana River northwest of the mouth of Healy Creek and 125.5 kilometers (78 miles) south-southwest of Fairbanks. It is 409 m (1342 ft) above sea level.
The head of the YANERT FORK is at the Yanert Glacier (63.594°N, 147.875°W). It is 49.9 kilometers (31 miles) long and flows northwest to Nenana River with the confluence of these two rives being some 22.5 kilometers (14 miles) southeast of Healy(63.682°N, 148.780°W).
Source: USGS Geographic Names Information System (GNIS)
Tri Valley School (Grades - PK-12) in Healy has 183 students (http://www.greatschools.net/).
Mark Martin's class has been taking freeze-up and break-up data using the Freshwater Ice Protocols during the 2007-2008 ice growth and decay season.
The image in the upper right shows the road and railroad bridge over the Nenana River. This is were the Tri-Valley students make their ice observations. Can you locate the observation site in the image at bottom right?
The map below shows the Healy area with Healy Creek joining the Nenana River in the center of the image. Can you locate the Healy observation site on the map?
The image at bottom right show a larger area around the Healy observation site. Can you locate of the airstrip the students get their weather data from?
IMAGES FROM THE SITE
BASIC DESCRIPTION OF THE SITE
| Latitude/Longitude: | 63.8546°N, 148.9558°W |
| Elevation: | 393.2 m |
| Estimated Mean Length: | ~600 m (field of view) |
| Estimated Mean Width: | ~100 m |
| Estimated Mean Water Depth: | unknown |
2007-2008 ICE PHENOLOGY MILESTONES
| Freeze-up | YY/MM/DD |
|---|---|
| Date of first overnight air temperature below 0°C | 07/09/17 |
| Date of mean daily air temperature below 0°C | 07/10/03 |
| Date of first maximum daily air temperature below 0°C | 07/10/03 |
| Date of first snow | 07/09/25 |
| Date of first appearance of ice | ~07/10/06 |
| Date of 100% ice cover | ~08/01/01 |
| Break-up | YY/MM/DD |
|---|---|
| Date of first daytime air temperature above 0°C | 08/04/18 |
| Date of first mean daytime air temperature above 0°C | 08/04/19 |
| Date of first minimum daily air temperature above 0°C | 08/04/20 |
| Date of complete disappearance of snow on ice | 08/05/02 |
| Date of 0% ice cover | 08/05/17 |
2008-2009 ICE PHENOLOGY MILESTONES
| Freeze-up | YY/MM/DD |
|---|---|
| Date of first overnight air temperature below 0°C | 08/09/25 |
| Date of mean daily air temperature below 0°C | 08/09/26 |
| Date of first maximum daily air temperature below 0°C | 08/10/12 |
| Date of first snow | 08/09/27 |
| Date of first appearance of ice | 08/10/02 |
| Date of 100% ice cover | 09/01/08 |
| Break-up | YY/MM/DD |
|---|---|
| Date of first daytime air temperature above 0°C | 09/04/04 |
| Date of first mean daytime air temperature above 0°C | 09/04/23 |
| Date of first minimum daily air temperature above 0°C | 09/04/26 |
| Date of complete disappearance of snow on ice | unknown |
| Date of 0% ice cover | 09/05/08 |
2009-2010 ICE PHENOLOGY MILESTONES
| Freeze-up | YY/MM/DD |
|---|---|
| Date of first overnight air temperature below 0°C | 09/10/12 |
| Date of mean daily air temperature below 0°C | 09/10/25 |
| Date of first maximum daily air temperature below 0°C | 09/10/25 |
| Date of first snow | 09/09/22 |
| Date of first appearance of ice | ~09/10/20 |
| Date of 100% ice cover | 10/01/25 |
| Break-up | YY/MM/DD |
|---|---|
| Date of first daytime air temperature above 0°C | 10/03/27 |
| Date of first mean daytime air temperature above 0°C | ~10/04/17 |
| Date of first minimum daily air temperature above 0°C | ~10/04/19 |
| Date of complete disappearance of snow on ice | 10/04/02 |
| Date of 0% ice cover | ~10/05/10 |
The meteorological data are taken from the airstrip at Healy (PAHV) which is posted on the Weather Underground
7 October 2007:
9 October 2007:
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17 October 2008:
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31 October 2008:
6 November 2008:
No data available.
11 November 2008:
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RIVER ICE OBSERVATIONS - ANDERSON, AK
This village is named for Arthur Anderson who subdivided his homestead into quarter acre lots. It is located at 64.344°N, 149.187°W which is 8 kilometers (5 miles) northwest of Clear and 19.3 kilometers (12 miles) southwest of Nenana on the Tanana River. It is 157m (515ft) above sea level.
(Source: USGS Geographic Names Information System (GNIS))
Anderson School (Grades - PK-12) in Anderson has 75 students (http://www.greatschools.net/).
Tricia Turley's class has been taking freeze-up and break-up data using the Freshwater Ice Protocols during the 2007-2008 ice growth and decay season.
Above: A map view of Anderson, AK. Note that the river is very braided near Anderson. One can also see from the very widely spaced contours that the landscape in this area is relativley flat. As a consequence of these two factors the the channel closest to Anderson village is shallow and the water is slow moving.
Right: The village of Anderson, AK as seen in an air photo.
IMAGES FROM THE SITE
BASIC DESCRIPTION OF THE SITE
| Latitude/Longitude: | 64.20648°N, 149.12520°W |
| Elevation: | 161 m |
| Estimated Mean Length: | 400 m (field of view) |
| Estimated Mean Width: | 25-200 m |
| Estimated Mean Water Depth: | depends on water level (flooding or not) |
2007-2008 ICE PHENOLOGY MILESTONES
| Freeze-up | YY/MM/DD |
|---|---|
| Date of first overnight air temperature below 0°C | 07/09/21 |
| Date of mean daily air temperature below 0°C | 07/10/04 |
| Date of first maximum daily air temperature below 0°C | 07/10/06 |
| Date of first snow | 07/09/21 |
| Date of first appearance of ice | 07/10/05 |
| Date of 100% ice cover | unknown |
| Break-up | YY/MM/DD |
|---|---|
| Date of first daytime air temperature above 0°C | 08/04/18 |
| Date of first mean daytime air temperature above 0°C | 08/04/19 |
| Date of first minimum daily air temperature above 0°C | 08/05/11 |
| Date of complete disappearance of snow on ice | 08/05/12 |
| Date of 0% ice cover | 08/05/16 |
The meteorological data are taken from the airstrip at Healy (PAHV) which is posted on the Weather Underground
5 October 2007
15 October 2007:
16 October 2007:
30 October 2007:
8 November 2007:
12 November 2007:
20 November 2007:
26 November 2007:
3 December 2007:
17 December 2007:
14 January 2008:
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15 April 2008:
21 April 2008:
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RIVER ICE OBSERVATIONS - DENALI EDUCATION CENTER, AK
The Denali Education Center (formerly the Denali Foundation) is is located at Milepost 231 of the George Parks Highway, seven miles south of the Denali National Park entrance, behind the McKinley Village (see map at right). Situated on ten wooded acres near the eastern boundary of Denali National Park & Preserve.
(Source: http://www.denali.org/)
During the 2007-08 freeze-up season, Nan Eagleson made Freshwater Ice Protocol observations at 2 sites near the Denali Education Center (DEC). One was located on the bridge on the Parks Highway closest to the DEC. The second site was at the "beach" on the DEC property on a bend in the river a short distance from the bridge.
IMAGES FROM THE BRIDGE SITE
BASIC DESCRIPTION OF THE BRIDGE SITE
| Latitude/Longitude: | 63° 39.38'N, 148° 50.16'W |
| Elevation: | |
| Estimated Mean Length: | 250 m (field of view) |
| Estimated Mean Width: | 120 m |
| Estimated Mean Water Depth: | unknown |
2007-2008 ICE PHENOLOGY MILESTONES
| Freeze-up | YY/MM/DD |
|---|---|
| Date of first overnight air temperature below 0°C | 07/09/22 |
| Date of mean daily air temperature below 0°C | 07/10/03 |
| Date of first maximum daily air temperature below 0°C | 07/10/06 |
| Date of first snow | 07/10/03 |
| Date of first appearance of ice | ~07/10/08 |
| Date of 100% ice cover | ~07/12/26 |
| Break-up | YY/MM/DD |
|---|---|
| Date of first daytime air temperature above 0°C | 08/04/18 |
| Date of first mean daytime air temperature above 0°C | 08/04/30 |
| Date of first minimum daily air temperature above 0°C | 08/05/10 |
| Date of complete disappearance of snow on ice | No data |
| Date of 0% ice cover | No data |
IMAGES FROM THE BEACH SITE
BASIC DESCRIPTION OF THE BEACH SITE
| Latitude/Longitude: | 63° 39.26'N, 148° 49.19'W |
| Elevation: | |
| Estimated Mean Length: | ~250 m (field of view) |
| Estimated Mean Width: | ~100 m |
| Estimated Mean Water Depth: | unknown |
2007-2008 ICE PHENOLOGY MILESTONES
| Freeze-up | YY/MM/DD |
|---|---|
| Date of first overnight air temperature below 0°C | 07/09/22 |
| Date of mean daily air temperature below 0°C | 07/10/03 |
| Date of first maximum daily air temperature below 0°C | 07/10/06 |
| Date of first snow | 07/10/03 |
| Date of first appearance of ice | ~07/10/07 |
| Date of 100% ice cover | ~08/01/02 |
| Break-up | YY/MM/DD |
|---|---|
| Date of first daytime air temperature above 0°C | 08/04/18 |
| Date of first mean daytime air temperature above 0°C | 08/04/30 |
| Date of first minimum daily air temperature above 0°C | 08/05/10 |
| Date of complete disappearance of snow on ice | No data |
| Date of 0% ice cover | No data |
The meteorological data are taken from the airstrip at Healy (PAHV) which is posted on the Weather Underground
8 October 2007:
10 October 2007:
11 October 2007:
12 October 2007:
15 October 2007:
16 October 2007:
No data available.
24 October 2007:
28 October 2007:
29 October 2007:
31 October 2007:
2 November 2007:
7 November 2007:
9 November 2007:
15 November 2007:
16 November 2007:
19 November 2007:
20 November 2007:
26 November 2007:
No data available.
27 November 2007:
28 November 2007:
29 November 2007:
5 December 2007:
7 December 2007:
10 December 2007:
11 December 2007:
12 December 2007:
14 December 2007:
No data available.
17 December 2007:
18 December 2007:
19 December 2007:
20 December 2007:
21 December 2007:
22 December 2007:
26 December 2007:
8 October 2007:
10 October 2007:
11 October 2007:
No data available.
12 October 2007:
No data available.
15 October 2007:
16 October 2007:
24 October 2007:
28 October 2007:
29 October 2007:
31 October 2007:
2 November 2007:
7 November 2007:
9 November 2007:
10 November 2007:
No data available.
15 November 2007:
16 November 2007:
19 November 2007:
No data available.
No data available.
20 November 2007:
26 November 2007:
27 November 2007:
28 November 2007:
29 November 2007:
3 December 2007:
5 December 2007:
7 December 2007:
No data available.
10 December 2007:
11 December 2007:
12 December 2007:
17 December 2007:
18 December 2007:
19 December 2007:
No data available.
20 December 2007:
21 December 2007:
22 December 2007:
No data available.
26 December 2007:
29 December 2007:
30 December 2007:
31 December 2007:
2 January 2008:
Bridge
Beach
RIVER ICE OBSERVATIONS - CANTWELL, AK
This village began as a flag stop on the Alaska Railroad. Named for the Cantwell River (formerly name of the Nenana River), it is located at 63.392°N, 148.951°W. It is 669 m (2195 ft) above sea level.
(Source: USGS Geographic Names Information System (GNIS))
Cantwell School (Grades - K-12) has 21 students. (http://www.greatschools.net/).
Pete Hauschka and his high school class are making freeze-up and break-up observations on the Nenana River during the 2008-2009 season.
Left: An aerial view of the Cantwell area. Note that the ice observations site is on the highway where it crosses the Nenana River.
Below: A map of the Cantwell area.
2 October 2008:
13 October 2008:
26 November 2008:
No data available.
Project Details
Nenana River Project
Monitoring the freeze-thaw cycle of the Nenana River
River Ice Protocols
The River Ice Protocols provide a complete description of how to set up a River Ice Observatory and document the freeze-up and break-up of a river.
Download the River Ice Protocols
Download the Freshwater Ice Phenology Protocols presentation
Download the Freshwater Ice Phenology Protocols script
River Ice Glossary
The River Ice Glossary provides definitions and images of some of the ice conditions likely to be found on a river during freeze-up and break-up.
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