ANWR Snow Studies

University of Alaska Fairbanks

Geophysical Institute


ANWR Snow Workshop

October 9-10, 2018

Sponsored by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service

& Bureau of Land Management

The workshop was for state, federal agencies, industry and other groups interested in over-snow work and conditions in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge.

Topics discussed:

• The nature of ANWR snow cover, including seasonality and properties

• Climatic and landscape attributes of ANWR compared to the NPR-A

• State of Alaska regulatory standards in the NPR-A

• Industry practices for seismic exploration and ice/snow road construction

• Tools, measurements, and data likely needed for operations in ANWR

University of Alaska Fairbanks researchers returned to the ANWR 1002 area again in the winter of 2018-2019 and made additional measurements in order to understand more usual conditions. Using combined measurements from the record-breaking deep snow of winter 2017-2018 and the more typical snow depths of winter 2018-2019, UAF researchers have produced a comprehensive report on the snow cover of the 1002 area.