A Project Submitted in Partial Requirement of the Requirements
for the Degree of
MASTER OF SCIENCE
in
Civil EngineeringMany rural communities in Alaska are at risk of losing infrastructure to erosion. One of
these communities is Hooper Bay, on the west coast of Alaska. According to predictions
generated by the Alaska Department of Natural Resources, several hundred feet of airport
runway and road will be exposed to erosion between the years of 2015 and 2075. While the
runway’s current erosion mitigation measures are effective, overtopping and the depositing of
debris remain an issue. There are currently community measures underway to elevate the
endangered section of road, and there are plans to implement more rigorous protect in place
measures within the next 10 years. A salient is present on the coast south of the runway that is
slowly moving north. The exact mechanics behind its formation and movement are not known,
but it may provide natural beach nourishment to the beach near the runway within the next 15
years. Continued observation, data collection and research is required to identify effective, long
term solutions to the erosion problem, but the measures currently in place, being implemented,
and planned should provide short term protection
