
Ever heard of the Anchor River before? I've never been there. Didn't even know there was an Anchor River. According to the milepost, the Anchor River Road is 1.6 miles long. One of the shortest roads in Alaska.
Although the Anchor River is often lost in the excitement over the Kenai River to the north and Kachemak Bay to the south, those who live along it are well aware of what it offers—its fisheries, wildlife, scenic beauty, and seasonal moods. Fortunately, in recent years interest in and appreciation for the Anchor River and its surroundings have been growing. As a result, much new information is becoming available, such as the information below, that can help us increase our understanding of the river and its environments and to convince others of the River’s significance. This compilation of Anchor River facts can be used as a tool to help those who live and play along the Anchor River to share their excitement for the River, so that proper attention is given to the long-term preservation of its special features.
The Anchor River Itself:
The Anchor River supports four species of Pacific salmon: king (chinook), coho (silver), sockeye (red), and pink, as well as anadromous Dolly Varden and rainbow trout (steelhead). A small number of resident rainbow trout inhabit the upper reaches of the river. King and coho are the most abundant salmon species. Anadromous Dolly Varden is the most abundant species in the Anchor River.
The Anchor River is one of the best road-accessible, wild-stocked, steelhead trout streams left in the United States.
By the time the Anchor River reaches the USGS gaging station in Anchor Point, it has drained 224 square miles of watershed, or 143,360 acres. (15) The river’s mainstem channel is about 27 miles long; the mainstem slope drops about 51 feet per mile before reaching sea level at Cook Inlet.
At the Anchor Point gaging station, the Anchor River’s discharge (volume of flow per time) averages 298 cubic feet per second (cfs). The highest peak discharge so far recorded at that station was 11,000 cfs on November 30, 1983; the lowest was 28 cfs on July 28, 1953.
The Anchor River has five main named tributaries. To the north, these are the North Fork and its main tributary, Chakok Creek. To the south, these are Beaver and Twitter Creeks and Twitter Creek’s main tributary, Bridge Creek. (The 35-acre Bridge Creek reservoir is the City of Homer’s main water source.) Anchor River is also fed by numerous unnamed tributaries.
Melting snow, rain, and groundwater inflow drive the hydrologic system of the Anchor River and determine the timing of peak flows.
In Anchor Point, mean annual snowfall is 80 inches on the Anchor River.
Well next time I'm down there, I might pay a visit to the Anchor River. Seems like Kachemak Bay can be a good fishing spot.
You can pretend to care but you can't pretend to be there.
I'm out like all the fresh water tributaries of the Anchor River.



