This website describes the process used to develop Geographic Response Strategies (GRS) to protect sensitive coastal environments in the Southwestern Cook Inlet response zone. The Southwestern Cook Inlet Zone, which is part of the Cook Inlet Subarea, extends from Cape Douglas  north to Sea Otter Point  at the southern entrance to Chinitna Bay.

GRS are oil spill response plans tailored to protect a specific sensitive area from oil impacts following a spill. These response plans are map-based strategies that can save time during the critical first few hours of an oil spill response. They show responders where sensitive areas are located and where to place oil spill protection resources.

A workgroup was formed to develop GRS for the Southwestern Cook Inlet Zone. Participants included State and Federal resource trustee agencies and local spill response experts.

The workgroup selected 18 sites for GRS development with their locations shown on the map below. The site selection matrix 26KB pdf) and site selection key (13KB pdf) summarize the resources at risk for each site. The site selection process involved a consideration of environmental sensitivity, risk of being impacted from a water borne spill; and feasibility of successfully protecting the site with existing technology.

Download a printable copy of this map in a 5.3MB pdf format.

Index of GRS Plans

For each of the GRS sites selected in the Southwestern Cook Inlet Zone, a response strategy was created, describing the Geographic Response Strategy for that site. The final Southwestern Cook Inlet GRS documents have become sub-sections of the Cook Inlet GRS. This is the list of GRS sites identified on the index map above (numbers correspond to numbers on the map), with links to the corresponding response strategy in pdf format:

• SWCI-01 Sukoi Bay (2.6MB pdf)
• SWCI-02 Douglas River - N (4.7MB pdf)
• SWCI-03 Akumwarvik Bay/Kamishak River (3.9MB pdf)
• SWCI-04 Horseshoe Cove/Pinkidulia Cove (4.2MB pdf)
• SWCI-05 McNeil Cove (1.9MB pdf)
• SWCI-06 Amakdedulia Cove (3.2MB pdf)
• SWCI-07 Chenik (3.8MB pdf)
• SWCI-08 Bruin Bay (3.4MB pdf)
• SWCI-09 Augustine Island - W (2.4MB pdf)
• SWCI-10 Sunday Creek (3.4MB pdf)
• SWCI-11 Head of Ursus Cove (2.4MB pdf)
• SWCI-12 North/South Heads of Iliamna Bay (2.3MB pdf)
• SWCI-13 Iniskin River (4.7MB pdf)
• SWCI-14 Oil Bay (2.2MB pdf)
• SWCI-15 Dry Bay (1.6MB pdf)
• SWCI-16 Cottonwood Bay (2.9MB pdf)
• SWCI-17 Paint River (1.5MB pdf)
• SWCI-18 Amakdedori Creek (2.4MB pdf)

Public involvement was essential to ensure that the sites selected and the strategies developed reflect the environmental protection priorities of local communities, stakeholders, and resource users. The workgroup sought public input to ensure that everyone with a stake in Cook Inlet is made aware of Geographic Response Strategies and their importance during an oil spill response. If you have local knowledge about the Southwestern Cook Inlet Zone or if you would like more information about Geographic Response Strategies please contact:

dec.spar.grs@alaska.gov

You can learn more about Geographic Response Strategies by reading our Frequently Asked Questions.

This page last updated: June 24, 2008 by Nuka Research & Planning Group, LLC