Facing two oceans and three seas, Alaska's coastline stretches through bays, fjords, and around islands for 45,000 miles. Living with the Coast of Alaska, a new volume in the Living with the Shore series, is a user's guide for both present and future inhabitants of Alaska. Providing individual property owners in all regions of the state with the fundamentals of hazard recognition and mitigation strategy, the authors discuss the geological history of Alaska and its relation to the area's cultural history and present customized hazard risk assessments for coastal communities.

Describing the dynamic nature of natural seismic events and coastal processes in Alaska, the authors emphasize the multiplicity of potential effects that result from a unique combination of geology, climate, and the sea. Earthquakes, volcanic eruptions, tsunami waves, avalanches, glacial advances, storm surges, flash flooding, wind channeling, and shoreline erosion combined with human-induced hazards such as oil spills, fire, and beach and offshore mining accidents make living with danger a way of life in Alaska. The authors provide information on federal and state laws and programs regarding natural disasters and coastal zone management as well as practical suggestions for the design and construction of buildings. For private, commercial, and public developments, this book offers a manual to help Alaskans make informed decisions to minimize, if not avoid, damage and danger.

Preface xvii
Part 1. The Lay of the Land and Its Occupation by Humans
1. Nature's Dangerous Brew: Geology, Climate, and the Coast 3
2. Settling Alaska: 11,000 Years of Human History 21
Part 2. Hazards in Alaska
3. Earthquakes, Volcanoes, and Tsunamis: A Deadly Trio 37
4. The Problem of Unstable Slopes 59
5. Wind, Ice, and Sea 81
6. Shoreline Erosion 97
7. River Flooding in Coastal Alaska 115
8. Human-Induced Hazards and Health Risks 123
Part 3. Risk Evaluation for Alaska's Coastal Communities
9. Arctic Alaska 133
10. Southwest Alaska: The Bering Sea Coast 153
11. The Gulf of Alaska and South-Central Coast 179
12. Southeast Alaska 225
Part 4. Responding to Alaska's Hazards
13. Mitigating Wind, Snow Loading, and Permafrost Hazard Impacts through Construction 259
14. Earthquake-Resistant Design and Construction 275
15. Natural Hazards and Coastal Zone Management in Alaska 287
Appendixes
A. Responding to Hazards: Checklists
A1. Earthquake Checklists 299
A2. Volcanic Ash Checklists 304
A3. Tsunami Checklists 307
A4. Flood Checklists 309
A5. Winter Storm Checklists 310
B. A Guide to Federal and State Agencies 313
C. References 321
Index 345