Kenai River
Encyclopedia
The Kenai River called Kakny in the Dena'ina language, is a river in the Kenai Peninsula
of south central Alaska
. It runs 82 miles (132 km) westward from Kenai Lake
in the Kenai Mountains
, through the Kenai National Wildlife Refuge
and Skilak Lake
to its outlet into the Cook Inlet
of the Pacific Ocean
near Kenai
and Soldotna, Alaska
.
river that drains the central Kenai Peninsula
region. Its source is the Kenai Lake
. Near Cooper Landing
, the lake narrows to form the river. About 12 miles (19.3 km) from the lake, the river passes through Kenai Canyon for about 2 miles (3.2 km) of fast-flowing whitewater rapids
. The Russian River
empties into the Kenai several miles east of Cooper Landing. 17.3 miles (27.8 km) from Kenai Lake, the river enters Skilak Lake
. The Kenai to Skilak section is commonly referred to as the "Upper River". The 19.5 miles (31.4 km) portion from Skilak Lake downstream to the Sterling Highway
bridge near Soldotna
is known as "Mid-River". The final 21 miles (33.8 km) from the bridge to the mouth at Cook Inlet
is known as the "Lower River", where the flow is much gentler. The final 12 miles (19.3 km) are greatly influenced by changing tide
s.
The Kenai River is the most popular sport fishing destination in Alaska, particularly for King or Chinook salmon. Each year there are two runs each of king salmon, silver salmon, red salmon, plus a run of pink salmon
every other year. The world record king salmon, which weighed about 44 kg (97 lb), was caught in the Kenai River in 1985. The Kenai is also the home of trophy size rainbow trout
and Dolly Varden
. Stretching to sizes over 76.2 cm (30 inches). Occasionally there will be reports of catching of "Steelhead"(Sea-run Trout).
The king salmon fishery is not as prolific as in other Alaskan rivers, but the Kenai is known for its large fish. A typical king in the second run, beginning in mid-July, weighs 40–85 pounds (18–23 kg), with considerably larger specimens not uncommon. The "Lower Kenai" is well known for its run and sizes of its king salmon.
The silver salmon runs occur in early August and late September. The September run is favored by local anglers due to the larger size of the silver salmon.
The red salmon runs are in late-June (bluebacks) and late-July. Reds are considered the premier salmon for eating, canning, and smoking.
The pink salmon run occurs in even numbered years only. These fish are considered pests by many anglers because they interfere with catching other species and because, by the time they reach inland freshwater, their meat may be soft and oily compared to other species. Nevertheless, using super-light tackle (e.g., 4-pound test), angling for pinks can be a real treat. On a heavy day, even a casual fisher might catch several dozen of the species.
Along with Kenai's fish, the Kenai River area is home to other wildlife, including moose, bears, and multiple species of birds. In the spring, Beluga whales have been seen as far as six miles upstream from the mouth of the river to feed on schools of spawning Hooligan
fish.
as the Kenai River Special Management Area, from four miles inland of the river mouth at Cook Inlet, to 82 miles upstream. Adjacent to the management district are fifteen different state parks.
Kenai Peninsula
The Kenai Peninsula is a large peninsula jutting from the southern coast of Alaska in the United States. The name Kenai is probably derived from Kenayskaya, the Russian name for Cook Inlet, which borders the peninsula to the west.-Geography:...
of south central Alaska
Alaska
Alaska is the largest state in the United States by area. It is situated in the northwest extremity of the North American continent, with Canada to the east, the Arctic Ocean to the north, and the Pacific Ocean to the west and south, with Russia further west across the Bering Strait...
. It runs 82 miles (132 km) westward from Kenai Lake
Kenai Lake
Kenai Lake is a large, "zig-zag" shaped lake on the Kenai Peninsula, Alaska. The lake forms the headwaters of the Kenai River, and is itself a destination for fishing and other outdoor activity. Due to its size and shape it is accessible from both the Sterling Highway and the Seward...
in the Kenai Mountains
Kenai Mountains
The Kenai Mountains are a mountain range in the U.S. state of Alaska. They extend 192 km northeast from the southern end of the Kenai Peninsula to the Chugach Mountains....
, through the Kenai National Wildlife Refuge
Kenai National Wildlife Refuge
The Kenai National Wildlife Refuge is a 1.92 million acre wildlife preserve located on the Kenai Peninsula of Alaska. The refuge was created in 1941 as the Kenai Moose Range, but in 1980 it was changed to its present status by the Alaska National Interest Lands Conservation Act...
and Skilak Lake
Skilak Lake
Skilak Lake is a large lake on the Kenai Peninsula, Alaska. The lake is part of the Kenai River system but also contains glacial runoff. The water is exceptionally clear with a mostly rocky bottom, relatively free of aquatic vegetation. It is within the Kenai National Wildlife Refuge, and can be...
to its outlet into the Cook Inlet
Cook Inlet
Cook Inlet stretches from the Gulf of Alaska to Anchorage in south-central Alaska. Cook Inlet branches into the Knik Arm and Turnagain Arm at its northern end, almost surrounding Anchorage....
of the Pacific Ocean
Pacific Ocean
The Pacific Ocean is the largest of the Earth's oceanic divisions. It extends from the Arctic in the north to the Southern Ocean in the south, bounded by Asia and Australia in the west, and the Americas in the east.At 165.2 million square kilometres in area, this largest division of the World...
near Kenai
Kenai, Alaska
Kenai is a city in Kenai Peninsula Borough in the U.S. state of Alaska. According to 2005 Census Bureau estimates, the population of the city is 7,464...
and Soldotna, Alaska
Soldotna, Alaska
As of the census of 2000, there were 3,759 people, 1,465 households, and 969 families residing in the city. As of 2008, the population was close to 4,200. The population density was 541.9 people per square mile . There were 1,670 housing units at an average density of 240.7 per square mile...
.
Geography
The Kenai River is a meltwaterMeltwater
Meltwater is the water released by the melting of snow or ice, including glacial ice and ice shelfs over oceans. Meltwater is often found in the ablation zone of glaciers, where the rate of snow cover is reducing...
river that drains the central Kenai Peninsula
Kenai Peninsula
The Kenai Peninsula is a large peninsula jutting from the southern coast of Alaska in the United States. The name Kenai is probably derived from Kenayskaya, the Russian name for Cook Inlet, which borders the peninsula to the west.-Geography:...
region. Its source is the Kenai Lake
Kenai Lake
Kenai Lake is a large, "zig-zag" shaped lake on the Kenai Peninsula, Alaska. The lake forms the headwaters of the Kenai River, and is itself a destination for fishing and other outdoor activity. Due to its size and shape it is accessible from both the Sterling Highway and the Seward...
. Near Cooper Landing
Cooper Landing, Alaska
Cooper Landing, also commonly referred to as The Landing, is a census-designated place in Kenai Peninsula Borough, Alaska, United States, about 160 kilometers south of Anchorage, at the confluence of Kenai Lake and Kenai River...
, the lake narrows to form the river. About 12 miles (19.3 km) from the lake, the river passes through Kenai Canyon for about 2 miles (3.2 km) of fast-flowing whitewater rapids
Whitewater
Whitewater is formed in a rapid, when a river's gradient increases enough to disturb its laminar flow and create turbulence, i.e. form a bubbly, or aerated and unstable current; the frothy water appears white...
. The Russian River
Russian River (Alaska)
For other uses, see Russian River.The Russian River is a 13-mile-long river on the Kenai Peninsula in the U.S. state of Alaska. It flows northward from Upper Russian Lake in the Kenai Mountains through Lower Russian Lake, draining into the Kenai River...
empties into the Kenai several miles east of Cooper Landing. 17.3 miles (27.8 km) from Kenai Lake, the river enters Skilak Lake
Skilak Lake
Skilak Lake is a large lake on the Kenai Peninsula, Alaska. The lake is part of the Kenai River system but also contains glacial runoff. The water is exceptionally clear with a mostly rocky bottom, relatively free of aquatic vegetation. It is within the Kenai National Wildlife Refuge, and can be...
. The Kenai to Skilak section is commonly referred to as the "Upper River". The 19.5 miles (31.4 km) portion from Skilak Lake downstream to the Sterling Highway
Sterling Highway
The Sterling Highway is a 142-mile highway in the Southcentral region of the U.S. state of Alaska, leading from the Seward Highway at Tern Lake Junction, south of Anchorage, to Homer....
bridge near Soldotna
Soldotna, Alaska
As of the census of 2000, there were 3,759 people, 1,465 households, and 969 families residing in the city. As of 2008, the population was close to 4,200. The population density was 541.9 people per square mile . There were 1,670 housing units at an average density of 240.7 per square mile...
is known as "Mid-River". The final 21 miles (33.8 km) from the bridge to the mouth at Cook Inlet
Cook Inlet
Cook Inlet stretches from the Gulf of Alaska to Anchorage in south-central Alaska. Cook Inlet branches into the Knik Arm and Turnagain Arm at its northern end, almost surrounding Anchorage....
is known as the "Lower River", where the flow is much gentler. The final 12 miles (19.3 km) are greatly influenced by changing tide
Tide
Tides are the rise and fall of sea levels caused by the combined effects of the gravitational forces exerted by the moon and the sun and the rotation of the Earth....
s.
Fish
Pink salmon
Pink salmon or humpback salmon, Oncorhynchus gorbuscha, is a species of anadromous fish in the salmon family. It is the smallest and most abundant of the Pacific salmon.- Appearance :...
every other year. The world record king salmon, which weighed about 44 kg (97 lb), was caught in the Kenai River in 1985. The Kenai is also the home of trophy size rainbow trout
Rainbow trout
The rainbow trout is a species of salmonid native to tributaries of the Pacific Ocean in Asia and North America. The steelhead is a sea run rainbow trout usually returning to freshwater to spawn after 2 to 3 years at sea. In other words, rainbow trout and steelhead trout are the same species....
and Dolly Varden
Dolly Varden
Dolly Varden may refer to:* Dolly Varden , a character in the novel Barnaby Rudge by Charles Dickens. The original usage.* Dolly Vardens , a group of Black women baseball players that comprised the first professional baseball team* Dolly Varden , a musical group from Chicago, Illinois* Dolly Varden...
. Stretching to sizes over 76.2 cm (30 inches). Occasionally there will be reports of catching of "Steelhead"(Sea-run Trout).
The king salmon fishery is not as prolific as in other Alaskan rivers, but the Kenai is known for its large fish. A typical king in the second run, beginning in mid-July, weighs 40–85 pounds (18–23 kg), with considerably larger specimens not uncommon. The "Lower Kenai" is well known for its run and sizes of its king salmon.
The silver salmon runs occur in early August and late September. The September run is favored by local anglers due to the larger size of the silver salmon.
The red salmon runs are in late-June (bluebacks) and late-July. Reds are considered the premier salmon for eating, canning, and smoking.
The pink salmon run occurs in even numbered years only. These fish are considered pests by many anglers because they interfere with catching other species and because, by the time they reach inland freshwater, their meat may be soft and oily compared to other species. Nevertheless, using super-light tackle (e.g., 4-pound test), angling for pinks can be a real treat. On a heavy day, even a casual fisher might catch several dozen of the species.
Other wildlife
Eulachon
The eulachon, also oolichan, hooligan, ooligan, or candlefish, is a small anadromous ocean fish, Thaleichthys pacificus, a smelt found along the Pacific coast of North America from northern California to Alaska....
fish.
Management
Over 105 linear miles the river and lakes are managed by the Alaska Department of Natural ResourcesAlaska Department of Natural Resources
The Alaska Department of Natural Resources is a department within the government of Alaska. The Department of Natural Resources develops, conserves and enhances natural resources for present and future Alaskans....
as the Kenai River Special Management Area, from four miles inland of the river mouth at Cook Inlet, to 82 miles upstream. Adjacent to the management district are fifteen different state parks.