ANS coastal areas open for tundra travel

Petroleum News

The Alaska Department of Natural Resources, Division of Mining, Land and Water, said Jan. 8 that the eastern and western coastal areas opened for the 2019-20 winter season effective 9 a.m. that day.

The division said it has reviewed available data on snow cover and soil temperatures for North Slope state land, and recent snow survey data from permit holders indicate that snow depths are exceeding an average of 6 inches.

Soil temperature information gathered from previous inspection trips showed soil temperatures at the 30-centimeter depth tending lower but not yet reaching minus 5 degrees Celsius.

The division said that given persistent cold temperatures over the last two weeks, it is predicting that monitoring stations within the eastern and western coastal areas have met the criteria for opening (6 inches of snow and colder than minus 5 degrees Celsius soil temperature at a 30-centimeter depth).

The opening applies only to operators with valid off-road vehicle travel permits to operate on North Slope state lands.

While overall snow cover is good, it may be thin in some areas, the division said, and areas with thin snow cover should be avoided or special construction methods used to protect the tundra surface.

For questions, please contact the division’s Northern Regional Land Office in Fairbanks at 907-451-2740.

- Petroleum News