Moose Range Is Testing Ground
For Erosion Control Programs
A soil and moisture program
was initiated on the Kenai Na
tional Moose Range in the fall of
1961. Basic purpose of this pro
gram is to provide for the protec
tion and intelligent use of soil
and water resources on wildlife
refuge areas.
The Moose Range project has
largely been directed towards
understanding the process involv
ed and measures to be taken in
combating and preventing soil
erosion, savs John B. Ilakala, re
fuge manager.
When vegetation and ground
cover are removed, either by fire
- or by man’s activity, erosion of
some type follows.
In the period following the 1947
Burn on the Moose Range, wind
and water erosion occurred until
the vegetative cover was again
established. This took up to six
years on some sites.
When the cover and the surface
layer of soil is removed by man’s
activities, the erosive problem be
comes especially acute. Examples
can readily be observed in high
way cutbacks. Such an area exists
along the Sterling Highway on
the western edge of the Kenai
Mountains. The eutbanks are
composed of a fine, silty, wind
deposited loess. This material is
technically not soil but an un
weathered rock-flour. It does not
have properties of particle co
hesion present in true soils and,
as a result, is highly subject to
erosion.
Summer rains are not major
<■ mtrioutors to this type of ero
AKA Conference
To Consider
Local Problems
Pi l,!h- response is reported as
< \>. -'cat to the forthcoming Area
fT’ 1‘di velo] ment Administration’s
! i . -r nee t> be held in Anchor
re on Feb. 25-26.
Pi 1, o.-se of the conference is to
.J\ the various Overall Econo
jhrc 11 velopment Committees
stiiivuighout the state to meet and
Sdiscuss their various problems,
i}>ropec‘.s and proposals with perti
jnent federal, state and private
agencies.
Panel discussions are planned
and the public works acceleration
program will also be considered.
There will be both private and
government participaton in this
seminar-type conference to as
sist local development groups
throughout the State. An open in
vitation to attend has been ex
tended to the public.
Tom Bichsel, with offices in
Juneau, is field coordinator for
the U. S. Department of Com
merce, Area Redevelopment Ad
ministration, for the state of Al
aska.
sion, Jlakala said. They occur, as
** rule, in the form of light rain
or drizzle, and come at a time
(late summer) when absorption
capacity of the soil is highest.
Most of the erosion occurs during
the freeze-up and, especially,
breakup periods with a signifi
cant amount taking place during
winter warm spells. This particu
lar type of erosion is termed
“mudflow erosion.”
The freezing process in the fall
draws moisture up from below’
and concentrates it in the surface
zone. When it is warm enough to
thaw, this silt material goes in
to a partial suspension and flows
down the slope over the still froz
en, impervious layer beneath. This
process is initiated any day on
which the temperature is above
freezing. In the spring, severity
reaches its peak with breakup and
an added water source in the foam
of melting snow. Erosion becomes
especially significant in this area
as it has found its way into near
by Jean Creek, silting'-up salmon
spawning beds.
Experimental findings to date
indicate that the best method of
erosion control is to establish a
sod-forming grass as a cover crop,
the refuge manager said. Of the
several varieties tried, the most
satisfactory has been a mixture
of meadow foxtail, meadow’ fes
cue (or red fescue), oats and al
sike clover.
A mixed fertilizer, with an an
alysis of 8-32-16 (nitrogen, phos
phorous and potash) was applied
at 500 pounds per acre with a side
dressing of ammonium nitrate
(100 pounds per acre) in early
August. A jute mesh matting was
laid over the trial plots to hold
soil and seed in place until the
cover became established. Water
ing was necessary until the plants
had developed a root system.
The growth was good and a
satisfactory sod was obtained. If
these trial plots stand thfe spring
breakup period, they may do the
job on all but the steepest slopes,
according- to the Moose Range
supervisor.
Erosion potential is high for
many of the soil areas on the Ke
nai Peninsula and it is far easier
and vastly cheaper to take pre
ventive measures than to attempt
to rectify the damage, Hakala
asserted. Removal of vegetation
and ground cover is an open in
vitation to erosion which may
produce serious consequences in
the destruction of salmon and
trout spawning beds. The least
that can happen is the appearance
of unsightly erosion scars and
the loss of an extremely scarce
item in Alaska — topsoil.
Please do not take flash pic
tures of dog teams along the trail
during races on March 2 and 3.
mWSf
'
l
THEIR MANY
MACHINES
HELP SAVE
ON LAUNDRY
TIME AT
RIVER TERRACE
LAUNDRY A DRY
CLEANERS
At the Bridge in Soldotna
• Your washing is easier’ and less
1 expensive when you wash here.
Plenty of machines and a full
■ time attendant to help you with
your washing and cleaning prob
lems. Also steam press, showers
and hair dryers.
ur'EJN »a.m. to a p.m.
I
Names Officers
Masonic Club
George Miller, Kenai, is the
newly elected president of the Ke
■Masonic Club. He and other new
officers were elected recently at
a meeting held in the Kenai Elks
Club building.
Miller, a Civil Service worker
employed as water plant operator
at Wildwood Station, succeeds
Allan L. Petersen as head of the
local Masons.
Other new officers are Lyle
Johnston, Soldotna; Herb Mor
rell, secretary-treasurer, also of
Soldotna, and Wesley Connoley,
Kenai, sergeant at arms.
The Masonic Club is currently
endeavoring to arrange for a
permanent meeting place after
which it eventually hopes to be
come a lodge instead of a club.
Until the permanent location is
announced, future meetings will
continue to be held on the third
Thursday each month at 8 p.m.
in the Elks Club building. All
Master Masons are invited to at
tend.
Please keep dogs tied during
races March 2 and 3.
LEGAL NOTICES
UNITED STATES
DEPARTMENT OF THE
INTERIOR
BUREAU OF LAND
MANAGEMENT
Land Office
Cordova Building
555 Cordova Street
Anchorage, Alaska
Date: Feb. 8, 1963
NOTICE FOR PUBLICATION
Notice is hereby given that
•John Wesley Ware entry man, of
Kenai, Alaska, together with his
witnesses George L. Horner of
Kodiak, Alaska and Nellie G. Cor
der of Kenai, Alaska has submit
ted final proof on his Homestead
entry Anchorage Serial Number
049851 for a tract of land describ
ed as
W M» N W1 / 4SW1 / 4, NE1/4
NWW4SW14, Lots 26, 27. 28,
31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, and 53,
Sec. 26, T. 8 N., R. 11 W., S.
M„
containing 80.12 acres, and it is
now in the files of the Land Of
fice, Anchorage, Alaska. Any per
son. corporation, or association
having or asserting any adverse
interest in, or claim to, the tract
of land or any part thereof
sought, may file in the Anchorage
Land Office, during the period of
publication or within 30 days
thereafter, under oath, an adverse
claim setting forth the nature and
extent thereof, and such adverse
claimant shall, within sixty days
after the filing- of such adverse
claim, begin action to quiet title
in a court of competent jurisdic
tion within Alaska, and thereaf
ter patent shall be issued in con
formity with the final decree of
the court.
Alfred P. Steger
Chief, Lands Section
Pub. Feb. 22, Mar. 1-8-15-22, 1963
UNITED STATES
DEPARTMENT OF THE
INTERIOR
BUREAU OF LAND
MANAGEMENT
Land Office
Cordova Building
555 Cordova Street
Anchorage, Alaska
Date: Feb. 18, 1963
NOTICE FOR PUBLICATION
Notice is hereby given that
Charles L. Parker entryman, of
Soldotna, Alaska, together with
his witnesses Jess Pope Harbin of
Soldotna, Alaska and Jack Condit
Farnsworth of Soldotna, Alaska
has submitted final proof on his
Homestead Second entry Anch
orage Serial Number 050444 for a
tract of land described as
NW%SW*4, Sec. 28, T. 5 N., '
R. 10 W., S.M.,
containing 40 acres, and it is
now in the files of the Land Of
fice, Anchorage, Alaska. Any per
son, corporation, or association
having or asserting any adverse
interest in, or claim to, the tract
of land or any- part thereof
sought, may file in the Anchorage
Land Office, during the period of
publication or within 30 days
thereafter, under oath, an adverse
claim setting forth the nature and
extent thereof, and such adverse
claimant shall, within sixty days
after the filing of such adverse
claim, begin action to quiet title
in a court of competent jurisdic
tion within Alaska, and thereaf
ter patent shall be issued in con
formity with the final decree of
the court.
Alfred P. Steger
Chief, Lands Section
Pub. Feb. 22, Mar. 1-8-15-22, 1963
100% Local
Alaska Investor Owned
Utility
SUPPLIES
Power Corp.
FOR LESS
CONSOLE TED
UTILITIES
PRODUCERS OF ( AS CENHRATED
WHOLESALE ElECTRIv AL POWER
READ THE NEWS Cl VSSil-TI.D ADS FOR PROFIT!
i•irmt**vkz-zz5-rxr.uzsij/'.-rf" a in mm® in— ■
f 15 *> f
™ 4^ a i % . .»• i; «!>»
Fishermen
GET YOUR VEHICLES HEADY
NOW
BEFORE
THE SPRING RUSH
©
Bring Them In For A Check-Up
c
Free Estimates
©
B. F. GOODRICH TIRES
Wildwood Motors
Owner - Operators
Harris W. Jackson
W. E. (Bill) Burlingame
Bti-h Lanes Subdivision
KEN AI
283-7720
CHEECHAIvO NEWS ONLY $5.00 A YEAR—SUBSCRIBE NOW
FORGOT THOSE
INTERIORS!!
And now is the
time to do them
Everything you
need
Panelling
* ft *
! r
lt«.
Doors
at
SOLD
SUPPLY,
n k
SOLDOTNA
2H2-4125