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Fact Sheet 2011–3040

In cooperation with the the Yukon River Inter-Tribal Watershed Council

The Yukon River Basin Active Layer Network: A Cooperative Project between the Yukon River
Inter-Tribal Watershed Council and the U.S. Geological Survey

Thumbnail of and link to fact sheet PDF (6.58 MB)

The Active Layer Network (ALN) was launched in 2009 as a cooperative project between the Yukon River Inter-Tribal Watershed Council and the U.S. Geological Survey. The active layer is the layer of soil above the permanently frozen ground that thaws during the summer months and freezes again in the autumn. By measuring the depth of the active layer in late summer at the time of maximum thaw, we are able to better understand the effects of a warming climate on permafrost. The goal of the first two years (2009–2010) was to install the first active layer monitoring network for the entire Yukon River Basin (YRB) and to determine the feasibility of sustaining and evolving the network within the YRB. In August and September 2009, the project was initiated and 12 ALN grid sites were installed. In 2010, 8 more sites were installed, completing a basin-wide network of 20 sites across the YRB.

First posted April 13, 2011

For additional information contact:

Chief, Branch of Regional Research, Central Region
Box 25049, Mail Stop 418
Denver, CO 80225

http://water.usgs.gov/nrp/

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Suggested citation:

Schuster, P.F., Thomas, Carol, and Maracle, Karonhiakta'tie Bryan, 2011, The Yukon River Basin Active Layer Network—A cooperative project between the Yukon River Inter-Tribal Watershed Council and the U.S. Geological Survey: U.S. Geological Survey Fact Sheet 2011–3040, 4 p.



Contents

Introduction

Problem and Need

Previous Work

Methods

Site Locations

Design

Community Participation

Challenges and Future Work

References Cited

Acknowledgments

Accessibility FOIA Privacy Policies and Notices

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