Statement by TYHS

Public Meeting
Corps of Engineers, Alaska
Civic Center Alaskaland
Wednesday , November 4, 1998

It is hard to only address one short section of the river when talking of rehabilitating the river to its former glory. The river is not long, certainly not by Alaskan standards. But Fairbanksans love their river that joins the Tanana just 6.5 miles from the city core.

Since Fairbanks is a community which grew up along the Chena River, the maintenance of its banks and waterways is an important concern to those of us who live and work on its banks. Riverfront real estate is a valuable commodity, notably with structures such as the Usibelli Power Plant (the old MUS Powerplant) Carlson Center and Alaskaland all being riverfront properties. There is a growing movement to set aside more and more riverfront property for public access and recreational use.

Upstream from Fairbanks, historical facilities which should be preserved in any large-scale improvements to the riverís depth or bank locations, include the old portions of North Post of Ft. Wainwright, now a National Historic Landmark. Early bridges across the Chena still remain at upstream locations.

Downtown many of the townís earliest remaining buildings line the Chenaís banks or what were once the banks, because the river used to be much wider as it flowed thru the city. Important structures along the river include: the Jessen house near Wendell Street bridge; Immaculate Conception Church, the Garden Island commercial district, the Masonic Temple, Rebecah Lodge, George C. Thomas Library, St. Matthewís Episcopal Church ñ all near downtown; and, screened by the power plant from the river, the log cabins along 1st Avenue down to Hall Street.

Farther down the river, we have new subdivisions coming at the riverís edge. Past the University Avenue Bridge near the beginning point of the planned dredging operations there is the Pumphouse Restaurant, Pikeís Landing and Princess Hotel, all with riverside decks and landings. How would dredging the lower Chena River affect the Pumphouse Restaurant, a National Register structure, with its piling foundation and old siphon system connected to the riverís flow? How could the riverbank sustain more rapid flow? Would these commercial enterprises, and their residential neighbors, have to reinforce the riverbanks to prevent erosion of their property? Will the riverbanks suffer further degradation caused by the riverís flow or enhanced rivercraft activities?

Near the mouth of the river, where the Chena joins the Tanana, there used to be the town of Chena, once a rival with Fairbanks for the development of Interior Alaska. An archaeological study needs to be made of the old townsite which has been partially overtaken by the river.

Will the dredging once again allow the river ice to break with all its might as once was the case? Breakup along the Chena River used to be an event that brought residents and visitors alike to the riverbank to watch in awe as ice floes rose out of the water, crashing into the frothing water, breaking on impact and being swept away by the swift flowing current. It was an incredible sight, never to be forgotten.

What of Noyes Slough? Once flushed regularly by the Chenaís flow, will lower Chena dredging help assure a high enough flow so it remains a waterway, or will it eventually become dammed off and dried up?

If the lower portion of the Chena is dredged to improve navigability, then the effect on upper reaches of the river should be assessed. Economic and recreational opportunities on all parts of the river should be considered, since the Chena River has always been Fairbanksí principal waterway. ìRivertown Fairbanksî depends on the viability of the Chena River. In short, will this project benefit everyone in Fairbanks who uses the river, and remember how we used to use it?