Temporary closure to restore fish habitat in the White Mountains National Recreation Area

FAIRBANKS, Alaska —The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) Eastern Interior Field Office will temporarily close 44 acres below the Nome Creek Bridge in the White Mountains National Recreation Area while stream restoration work is underway June 6 – July 20. The closure temporarily restricts public access within the work area because stream restoration actions require equipment, activities, and features that may pose a risk to public safety.

“We appreciate the public’s patience while stream restoration work is underway,” said Eastern Interior Field Manager Tim Hammond. “Placer mining is part of the region’s cultural heritage but has also left behind degraded streams, impaired water quality, and impacted fish populations. This work is an important next step in rehabilitating this historic landscape, so it can continue to support healthy ecosystems and community needs.”

Like many creeks in the region, Nome Creek was the focus of the Alaska gold rush in the mid-1800s to early 1900s. This period ushered in hundreds of industrious individuals seeking to strike it rich, but it also created significant impacts to many of the streams given the removal of vegetation, rerouting of water, and erosion of soils from the placer mining practices of the time. 

The Nome Creek watershed was deemed a high priority for active restoration within the 2016 White Mountains Record of Decision and approved Resource Management Plan due in part to the popular Arctic grayling fishery. Restoration work began in Nome Creek last year as part of a long-term restoration strategy to rehabilitate thousands of feet of stream channel and associated fish habitat. This year, the work will focus on restoring Nome Creek from the U.S. Creek Road bridge to approximately 4,000 feet downstream of the bridge to enhance aquatic habitat and stabilize the stream channel to minimize impacts to the bridge protective structures.

Signs will be posted onsite to notify the public of the temporary closure. BLM law enforcement rangers and other employees will be in the area to help inform the public about the special closure. For updates regarding temporary closures and restrictions, monitor the White Mountains trail report webpage and follow us on facebook.  

For more information, please contact the Fairbanks BLM Public Room at (907) 474-2200 or 1-800-437-7021.