Tongass Coast Aquarium Inc. This document presents a description of the seven proposed uses of tidelands illustrated on the map titled “Tongass Coast Aquarium, Proposed Area Use”. It documents the need for the area and the benefits of each use.
Estuary, Preserve: This area includes the estuary associated with Whitman Creek. It encompasses the area associated with the mouth of the creek that fresh water has a direct effect on the marine system. It is one of the interfaces that hatchery salmon raised at SSRAA’s Whitman lake Hatchery tend to home to because of the common Whitman Lake water source. The unique nature of this estuarine area is a key component of TCA’s salmon exhibits and theme of the project. Potential exhibits in this area include underwater camera viewing of salmon entering the creek mouth, the estuary community directly offshore and shark feeding on spawned out carcasses that are naturally washed out of the creek. This area also needs added protection to maintain the un-interrupted homing of salmon to the site. The benefit will be the education of visitors to the importance of estuarine habitats and their role in maintaining healthy salmon runs and the salmon industry in SE Alaska. In-Water/Underwater Exhibit Zone This area includes the marine environment directly offshore of the land facility down to approximately 300 feet. TCA has an underwater video of this area down to approximately 140 feet that illustrates the diverse habitat types associated with this area. Much of the area is dominates by topography that resulted from blasting and road building that occurred 40+ year ago. Relative shallow slopes have sandy bottoms and steep rock slopes have shear vertical walls. All habitats are populated with plant and animal life that is best adapted to the zone they live in. This very complex diversity of habitat types has created opportunities for underwater natural living exhibits that are unequaled in any other aquarium. Examples documented in the video includes a gurney sea pen bed, a deeper sandy area populated with large numbers of anemones, a dead fallen hemlock tree at 80 feet completely covered with crinoids, and an area with steep drop-offs with large schools of rockfish. All these areas will have live feed video cameras that will be displayed in the facility. We also anticipate that habitat below the area displayed in the video will have additional habitat type that will be displayed using underwater live feed video. The benefit will be the education of the visitor to the diverse marine environment that exists in shallow and deep marine waters of SE Alaska. 100 foot Navigation Zone This area includes space for docks and piers, and building supports. These structures will provide access to the facility as well as vistas for viewing the marine environment. The benefit includes providing access for visitors, providing flexibility for a jump off location for other tours and excursions. It will also support access for diving tours of the site such as the Underwater Park zone. Deepwater Intakes, Outlets, Life systems support zone This area is just offshore of the facility. It is an area of very steep slope with access to relatively deep water. The facility’s location affords access to clean deep seawater with comparatively stable salinity and temperature. This provides an exceptional ability for TCA to have deep water life exhibits that are very difficult to have at most other aquariums worldwide. The associated intakes, outfalls and associated infrastructure need separation to maintain the water quality and characteristics for the success of these exhibits. The benefit of this is to provide a protected area with the necessary infrastructure to have exhibits that are distinctive to the TCA project. This translates into education to the visitor about SE Alaska Marine life. R.O.V. / Underwater Exhibit Zone This area is located in the northeast segment of the proposed site. It is characterized by rough underwater topography. This is the site TCA proposes to deploy an Underwater Operated Vehicle (R.O.V.) capable of sending live video to the TCA Facility. It can be restricted to this area to allow visitors hands on control of the vehicle to a depth of 500 feet. Some artificial reef structures may be placed on the bottom to attract marine life to exhibit. This again has the benefit of being highly educational for the visitor and students in educational institutions. Underwater Park / SCUBA Diving Zone This area is just above the R.O.V. exhibit area. It is characterized with rough topography in an area of relatively low current activity. From the facility 100 Foot Navigation Zone it will allow for safe entry and guided underwater SCUBA excursions tours of underwater Alaska. Some artificial reef structures, sunken ship, with underwater signs are part of this potential exhibit. It has the benefit of allowing those certified divers that visit to experience diving in Alaska in a secure area as opposed to the typical high current areas of SE Alaska. It will also provide an excellent open water dive site for dive classes offered by local Dive shops and the University of Alaska. 50 Foot Inter tidal Exhibit Zone Located above the Underwater park, this area will utilize the natural inter tidal area along the shore. Tide pools, touch tide pools, surf and sea grass beds will all be described with signage in this area. The benefit of this area is to educate the visitor to the uniqueness of inter tidal life of SE Alaska. | |
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