Pollution in lower Kenai River diminishes

KENAI - Water quality in the Kenai River improved over the summer with new anti-pollution measures in place, according to preliminary findings.

State water quality officials in 2006 listed the lower Kenai as an impaired waterway because of high hydrocarbon readings. Preliminary findings this summer indicate those hydrocarbon levels have fallen.

"I'd say we're at least halfway home," said Robert Ruffner, president of the Kenai Watershed Forum, one of two independent organizations contracted by the Alaska Department of Environmental Conservation to monitor water quality in the Kenai during the king salmon fishery.

On July 19, 20 and 22, the watershed forum sampled water on both sides of the river in deep and shallow water at River Mile 1.5. The group conducted aerial surveys to count boats on the river.

Oasis Environmental Inc., an Anchorage consulting and engineering firm, sampled the river at Miles 5 and 10.1. About 300 samples were taken.

"We didn't have any samples that came close to exceeding the state water quality standards (of 10 parts per billion)," Ruffner said.

The results are preliminary, he said, but there is no reason to believe the numbers do not accurately reflect cleaner water.

"They're not going to go up. They may go down if anything as we scrutinize more," he said.

At its worst, the Kenai River yielded samples as high as 23 parts per billion.

This year, samples revealed a two-thirds reduction in hydrocarbons.