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| Eek River | |
|---|---|
| Name | Eek River |
| Country | United States |
| State | Alaska |
| Length km | 281 |
| Source | Tundra headwaters |
| Mouth | Kuskokwim Bay |
| Basin size km2 | 9400 |
Eek River The Eek River is a tributary of the Kuskokwim River system in southwestern Alaska, United States, flowing through tundra, wetlands, and lowland forests before entering Kuskokwim Bay. The river and its basin lie within the Yukon–Kuskokwim Delta region and are part of networks of rivers, creeks, and lakes that sustain Indigenous communities, subsistence economies, and diverse wildlife. Prominent nearby features and administrative entities include Bethel, Dillingham, Anchorage, Fairbanks, Nome, and the Yukon Delta National Wildlife Refuge.
The river originates on the tundra near the Alaska Range foothills and follows a generally southwest course parallel to rivers such as the Nushagak River, Yukon River, and Kuskokwim River before emptying into Kuskokwim Bay near the Bering Sea. Along its course the river passes near settlements and geographic features associated with Bethel, Alaska, Kwethluk, Akiak, Tuluksak, Tuntutuliak, Quinhagak, Goodnews Bay, Hooper Bay, St. Michael, Alaska, Unalakleet, Kwigillingok, and Eek, Alaska. Tributaries and adjacent waterways include Cooper River (Alaska), Kisaralik River, Kolavinarak River, and numerous creeks found on maps of the Yukon–Kuskokwim Delta, Bristol Bay, and Kuskokwim Mountains. The river's lower reaches are characterized by meanders, oxbow lakes, and channels comparable to those of the Tanana River, Nulato River, and Selawik River.
Seasonal hydrology is driven by Arctic and sub-Arctic climate patterns influenced by the Bering Sea, Pacific Ocean, Arctic Ocean, and regional atmospheric systems monitored at stations such as NOAA and USGS. Spring snowmelt and summer rainfall cause peak discharge similar to patterns observed in the Yukon River and Kuskokwim River basins. The watershed includes wetlands recognized by conservation programs administered by agencies like the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and features permafrost dynamics studied by researchers from institutions such as the University of Alaska Fairbanks, Alaska Department of Fish and Game, Smithsonian Institution, National Weather Service, and US Forest Service. Hydrological interactions with nearby lakes and estuaries show parallels with systems in Togiak National Wildlife Refuge, Innoko National Wildlife Refuge, and Selawik National Wildlife Refuge.
The river flows across geological provinces associated with the Alaska Range, Kuskokwim Mountains, and Yukon-Kuskokwim Delta sediments, with bedrock and surficial deposits studied by the United States Geological Survey. Glacial history links to Pleistocene ice advances discussed in literature involving the Cordilleran Ice Sheet and geomorphological comparisons to the Brooks Range and Aleutian Range. Periglacial features, peatlands, and fluvial terraces resemble formations in Kotzebue Sound, Nunivak Island, and Nushagak Bay. Mineral and soil assessments cite regional work by institutions such as Geological Survey of Canada, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, and academic teams from University of Washington and Oregon State University.
Indigenous Yup'ik, Cup'ik, and other Alaska Native peoples have inhabited the river basin for millennia, with cultural ties comparable to those documented for Yup'ik people, Iñupiat, Aleut, Dena'ina, and Athabaskan groups. Archaeological sites and oral histories connect to regional patterns recorded by researchers at the Smithsonian Institution, National Museum of the American Indian, Alaska Native Tribal Health Consortium, and universities including University of Alaska Anchorage and University of Alaska Museum of the North. Russian colonial era interactions in Alaska involved entities such as the Russian-American Company and explorers like Vitus Bering, while American governance later brought institutions including Bureau of Indian Affairs, Alaska Native Corporations, Alaska State Legislature, and the National Congress of American Indians into regional affairs. Subsistence practices, seasonal migrations, and inter-village trade mirror traditions seen in communities linked by waterways like the Yukon River and Kuskokwim River.
The river supports fish species central to subsistence and commercial fisheries, with salmon runs analogous to Chinook salmon, Chum salmon, Sockeye salmon, Coho salmon, and Pink salmon populations in nearby basins such as Nushagak River and Togiak River. Freshwater species include Northern pike, Arctic char, and species studied by the Alaska Department of Fish and Game and NOAA Fisheries. The riparian and wetland habitats host birds and mammals similar to those protected in refuges like Yukon Delta National Wildlife Refuge and Togiak National Wildlife Refuge, including Pacific black brant, snow goose, bald eagle, brown bear, black bear, moose, caribou, wolverine, river otter, and beaver. Conservation assessments reference organizations such as The Nature Conservancy, World Wildlife Fund, and regional Native corporations.
Management involves federal, state, and tribal authorities including the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Alaska Department of Fish and Game, Bureau of Land Management, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Alaska Native Corporations, Yukon Delta National Wildlife Refuge, and local tribal governments. Conservation measures and research initiatives draw on programs by NOAA Fisheries, USGS, The Nature Conservancy, Audubon Society, World Wildlife Fund, Trout Unlimited, National Audubon Society, Alaska Conservation Foundation, Prudhoe Bay research collaborations, and academic partners at University of Alaska Fairbanks and Dartmouth College collaborating on Arctic studies. Management challenges echo issues addressed in plans for the Yukon River Salmon Agreement, Marine Mammal Protection Act, Endangered Species Act, Magnuson-Stevens Act, and regional co-management frameworks involving the Alaska Eskimo Whaling Commission and tribal consortiums.
Category:Rivers of Alaska