Deshka River
Current Conditions:
Our goal is to make water temperature data accessible to all Alaskans. By serving up data online in real-time, we hope to provide in-season information for local fishers, weir operators and fisheries managers to increase our understanding of the relationship between fish movement and water temperature.
Site Information:
On September 9, 2013 we installed our second station on the Deshka River with field support from staff of BeadedStream LLC and the Alaska Department of Fish and Game. This site is now operated with funding from the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service.
Since 2008, Cook Inletkeeper has been collecting water temperature data on the lower Deshka River below the ADF&G weir. Monitoring has revealed that Deshka River temperatures consistently exceed Alaska’s standards. Temperatures above 13°C exceed Alaska’s standard for egg and fry incubation; temperatures above 15°C exceed Alaska’s standard for migration routes. Water temperatures have even been recorded above 20°C which by State Standards “may not be exceeded.” Cook Inletkeeper’s research on water temperature in Cook Inlet salmon streams suggests that the Deshka River is highly sensitive to climate change impacts.
Additional Resources:
For fish count information: Alaska Dept. Fish & Game – Fish Counts
