EXECUTIVE SUMMARY 



A 5-year gravel removal study was initiated in mid-1975 to evaluate the 

 effects of gravel removal from arctic and subarctic floodplains in Alaska. 

 The primary purpose of the project was to provide information that will 

 assist resource managers in minimizing detrimental environmental effects 

 resulting from floodplain gravel mining. To achieve this objective 25 ma- 

 terial sites were studied by a team of scientists and engineers. Two major 

 products of the project are a Technical Report which synthesizes and eval- 

 uates the data collected at the sites, and a Guidelines Manual that aids 

 the user in developing plans and operating material sites to minimize envi- 

 ronmental effects. 



Data from the 25 study sites were collected and analyzed by the follow- 

 ing six d i sc i p I i nes : 



• River Hydrology and Hydraulics 



• Aquat i c Biology 



• Terrestrial Ecology 



• Water Qual i ty 



• Aesthet i cs 



• Geotechnical Engineering 



Data Analysis compared the Physical Site Characteristics (drainage basin 

 size, channel width, channel configuration, channel slope, and stream ori- 

 gin) and the Gravel Removal Area Characteristics (type of gravel removal 

 method, location of gravel removal, and age of the gravel removal site) with 

 the measured effects of mining activities. 



