Overview: Cook Inlet Oceanography

Susan Saupe “Not a Physical Oceanographer”

Cook Inlet RCAC

Freshwater Influences in Cook Inlet

If it weren’t for the

currents, Cook Inlet

would become a

gigantic mud flat.

If it weren’t for the mud,

Cook Inlet would

become current-swept

sand and gravel

beaches.

Instead, it’s both….

Depositional, Erosional, and Non-mobile Shorelines

South Shoal

CIRCAC photo

CIRCAC photo

CIRCAC photo

MHHW

Zero

Katchemak BayKamishak Bay

1 mile

Rock ramp

Rock wall

26 ft

Slide by Mandy Lindeberg (NMFS)

Highest Observed

Mean Higher High Water

Mean High Water

Mean Tide Level

Mean Low Water

Mean Lower Low Water

Lowest Observed

Tidal Datums

MHHW

MHW

MTL

MLW

MLLW “0”

Armap.org

From Oey et. al. 2007

Tal Ezer

AlaskaGeography.com

Note Scale Difference

7 May 2002 9 Nov 2002

16 June 2002 9 Nov2002

3 June 2002 2-3 October 2002

20 June 2002 2 October 2002

Flood Latter part of Flood

Transition to ebb

We need models