Overview
Shaw Creek is a stormwater outfall in Delta Junction, Alaska, serving the Southeast Fairbanks area. It operates under the US EPA NPDES MS4 permit framework for stormwater discharge management.
Shaw Creek is a stormwater outfall located at Mile Post 286 of the Richardson Highway in Delta Junction, Alaska. It serves the Southeast Fairbanks Census Area and is part of the stormwater management infrastructure in this region. As a stormwater outfall, it discharges collected stormwater runoff into the receiving environment, likely Shaw Creek itself, which is a tributary of the Tanana River. This facility operates under the regulatory framework of the US Clean Water Act, specifically the National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) Municipal Separate Storm Sewer System (MS4) permits. Given its location in a small community in interior Alaska, it likely falls under Phase II MS4 requirements for small municipalities. The NAICS code 212313 indicates the primary economic activity in the area is crushed and broken limestone mining, suggesting the outfall may serve an industrial catchment as well as urban runoff. Shaw Creek's stormwater outfall plays a critical role in managing runoff from the Richardson Highway corridor and surrounding areas, helping to prevent flooding and control pollutant loads entering the Tanana River watershed. The Tanana River is a major tributary of the Yukon River, making proper stormwater management important for downstream water quality in this ecologically significant subarctic region.
Environmental context
The Shaw Creek outfall discharges into a waterbody that is part of the Tanana River watershed, a large subarctic river system in interior Alaska. The region experiences extreme seasonal variations, with snowmelt in spring causing high runoff volumes and potential for erosion and sediment transport. The local catchment includes both urban areas of Delta Junction and industrial activities related to mining (NAICS 212313), which can contribute pollutants such as sediment, heavy metals, and hydrocarbons to stormwater runoff. Proper management is essential to protect aquatic habitats, including salmon spawning grounds in the Tanana River system.
Frequently asked questions
The Shaw Creek stormwater outfall is located at Mile Post 286 of the Richardson Highway in Delta Junction, Alaska, within the Southeast Fairbanks Census Area.
It is a stormwater outfall that discharges collected stormwater runoff from the surrounding area, including urban and industrial catchments, into the receiving waterbody, likely Shaw Creek.
As a stormwater outfall in the United States, it operates under the Clean Water Act and is subject to NPDES MS4 permits, likely Phase II requirements for small municipalities in Alaska.
The outfall discharges into the Tanana River watershed, a major subarctic river system that supports salmon and other aquatic life. Proper stormwater management is crucial to prevent pollution from urban runoff and nearby mining activities.
The area is associated with crushed and broken limestone mining (NAICS 212313), indicating that the outfall may receive runoff from industrial sites in addition to urban stormwater.
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