- Community Type: Unincorporated
- Current Population: 392
- Borough Name: Bristol Bay Borough
- Regional Native Corporation: King Salmon Village Council
- Bristol Bay Borough Schools/School District: Naknek Schools
- Latitude: 58.68°N
- Longitude: 156.66°W
- See Map of the region
- Land Area: 169.60 sq. miles
- Water Area: 1.40
|
| Location:
|
|
King Salmon is located on the
north bank of the Naknek River on the Alaska Peninsula, about 15 miles
upriver from Naknek. It is 284 miles southwest pf Anchorage. |
|
|
|
| History:
|
|
Present-day tribal members are
descendents of a group that was forced to relocate to King Salmon due to the
eruption of Mount Katmai, on the east coast of the Peninsula. At the
beginning of World War II, the U.S. built an Air Force base. It was
maintained by the Federal Aviation Administration throughout the war. In
1949, a post office was established, and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers
constructed a road to Naknek. Other government quarters, such as National
Park Service, Fish & Game, and the weather bureau, were developed. The King
Salmon Inn opened in 1956. The community has grown as a government,
transportation, and service center for the commercial red salmon and
recreational visitor industries. In 1993, the Air Force Station went into a
caretaker status. It is being maintained and operated under contract for the
Air Force by the Chugach Development Corporation, and supports daily
military activities, including Air Force, Army and Marine training missions,
North American Air Defense (NORAD) missions and US Coast Guard law
enforcement and search and rescue missions. As well, the Bristol Bay Borough
and the State of Alaska are using several buildings on the base. |
|
| Culture:
|
|
A federally recognized tribe is
located in the community -- the King Salmon Village Council. 30.1% of the
population are Alaska Native or part Native. The Native population is a
mixture of Aleuts, Indians and Eskimos. Although King Salmon was not
included in the 1972 Alaska Native Claims Settlement Act (ANCSA), the King
Salmon Tribe became a federally recognized entity as of December 29, 2000.
There are 24 active Native allotment claims and 2 patented claims near King
Salmon. Students attend school in Naknek, 15 miles away.
|
|
|
| Economy:
|
|
Government jobs, transportation and
fishing-related employment are the mainstays of the King Salmon economy. 36
residents hold commercial fishing permits. Air services employ a large
portion of the community, as King Salmon is a major air transportation point
for Bristol Bay salmon. The Bristol Bay red salmon fishery is the largest in
the world, although there have been relatively poor seasons, such as in the
early 1970s, 1982, and 1997. Salmon prices have declined in recent years.
King Salmon is also a departure point for the Katmai National Park and
Preserve, which includes the McNeil River State Game Sanctuary, Brooks Camp,
and the Valley of Ten Thousand Smokes. Fishing for all five species of
salmon and rainbow trout are one of this area's top attractions. King Salmon
airport is the summer hub for wilderness and fishing adventures in the area.
The Air Force Base has been closed, although it is maintained under contract
by Chugach Development Corp.Government jobs, transportation and
fishing-related employment are the mainstays of the King Salmon economy. 36
residents hold commercial fishing permits. Air services employ a large
portion of the community, as King Salmon is a major air transportation point
for Bristol Bay salmon. The Bristol Bay red salmon fishery is the largest in
the world, although there have been relatively poor seasons, such as in the
early 1970s, 1982, and 1997. Salmon prices have declined in recent years.
King Salmon is also a departure point for the Katmai National Park and
Preserve, which includes the McNeil River State Game Sanctuary, Brooks Camp,
and the Valley of Ten Thousand Smokes. Fishing for all five species of
salmon and rainbow trout are one of this area's top attractions. King Salmon
airport is the summer hub for wilderness and fishing adventures in the area.
The Air Force Base has been closed, although it is maintained under contract
by Chugach Development Corp. |
|
|
| Transportation:
|
|
King Salmon is a transportation hub
for Bristol Bay. Formerly an Air Force Base, the State-owned airport offers
an 8,500' paved, lighted runway, a 4,000' asphalt/gravel crosswind runway,
and FAA air traffic control tower. There are scheduled jet flights and
charter services to and from Anchorage. A 4,000' stretch of the Naknek River
is designated for float planes. A seaplane base is also located at Lake
Brooks, within the Katmai National Park to the east. Four docks are
available on the Naknek River -- owned by the U.S. Park Service, U.S. Fish &
Wildlife, Alaska State Troopers and the Bristol Bay Borough. Cargo goods are
delivered to Naknek by barge and trucked upriver to King Salmon via a
15-mile connecting road. During winter, an ice road provides access to South
Naknek. Vehicles are the primary means of local transportation; skiffs are
used during summer.
|
|
|
| Climate:
|
|
Climate is mainly maritime,
characterized by cool, humid, and windy weather. Average summer temperatures
range from 42 to 63; average winter temperatures range from 29 to 44. Total
precipitation is 20 inches annually, including 45 inches of snowfall. Fog is
common during summer months. |
|
|
