Living with the Coast of Alaska

Part of the "Living with the Shore" series, this is a user's guide for inhabitants of Alaska. Providing individual property owners in various regions of the state, with the fundamentals of hazard recognition and mitigation strategy, it discusses the geological history of Alaska and its relation to the area's cultural history.

Preface xvii Part 1. The Lay of the Land and Its Occupation by Humans 1. Nature's Dangerous Brew: Geology, Climate, and the Coast 3 2. Settling Alaska: 11,000 Years of Human History 21 Part 2. Hazards in Alaska 3. Earthquakes, Volcanoes, and Tsunamis: A Deadly Trio 37 4. The Problem of Unstable Slopes 59 5. Wind, Ice, and Sea 81 6. Shoreline Erosion 97 7. River Flooding in Coastal Alaska 115 8. Human-Induced Hazards and Health Risks 123 Part 3. Risk Evaluation for Alaska's Coastal Communities 9. Arctic Alaska 133 10. Southwest Alaska: The Bering Sea Coast 153 11. The Gulf of Alaska and South-Central Coast 179 12. Southeast Alaska 225 Part 4. Responding to Alaska's Hazards 13. Mitigating Wind, Snow Loading, and Permafrost Hazard Impacts through Construction 259 14. Earthquake-Resistant Design and Construction 275 15. Natural Hazards and Coastal Zone Management in Alaska 287 Appendixes A. Responding to Hazards: Checklists A1. Earthquake Checklists 299 A2. Volcanic Ash Checklists 304 A3. Tsunami Checklists 307 A4. Flood Checklists 309 A5. Winter Storm Checklists 310 B. A Guide to Federal and State Agencies 313 C. References 321 Index 345