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Lower Situk River Public Access

Issue

In September 2004, the Bureau of Land Management issued a Certificate of Allotment to the heirs of Situk Harry, which was claimed by Situk Harry under the 1906 Native Allotment Act. This 46-acre allotment is located near the mouth of the Situk River, a world-class salmon and steelhead fishery on the Yakutat Ranger District, Tongass National Forest. The Situk River is the main sport, commercial and subsistence fishery in Yakutat and much of the economy of the community is tied to this river and its access.

A portion of the Strawberry Point Road and facilities associated with access to the Situk River were transferred to new owners. This included 450 feet of road, which provided the main public boat and angler access to the Lower Situk River. Associated facilities at the Situk River access included a vault toilet, parking area and informational signs. The transfer also included 1,600 feet of road that previously provided the public and permittees access to Strawberry Point and the beach.

People will continue to be able to access the lower Situk by hiking the existing Forest Service trail above the Maggie John Allotment. However, privatization of the primary access at the lower Situk places people floating the river into a position of either trespassing on the allotments or having to navigate through the shallow lower Situk estuary to a takeout just west of the allotment. This is hazardous undertaking for the non motorized boats that float the Situk. The nine commercial fish camps that had special use authorizations until the land was transferred are also affected by land transfer.

Background

In 1997, the Yakutat Ranger District in conjunction with the Alaska Department of Transportation, constructed a bypass road to the Lower Situk to provide public access that had been eliminated with the land transfer of an allotment (the Maggie John Heirs), directly north of the Situk Harry allotment. The actual location of the Situk Harry allotment was disputed, but was finalized in 2001. Following completion of administrative processes, the Certificate of Allotment was issued in September 2004.

Current Situation

Currently, the heirs of Maggie John are allowing the public to access the Lower Situk across their land. The heirs of Situk Harry have blocked public access. While the public currently has walk-in and boat access, parking is limited and there is no certainty of continued public access. The Yakutat Ranger District, Tongass National Forest, was unsuccessful in securing an easement or land exchange with the heirs. The State of Alaska has been working with the heirs of Situk Harry since fall 2005 to purchase the lower boat launch in order to ensure continued public access to and from the Lower Situk River. This land purchase has not yet been finalized.

A project on national forest lands in spring 2005 connected existing roads with the beach area near Strawberry Point. This maintained access for subsistence and commercial fishermen. However, this route provides a marginal boat take out for sport anglers floating the Situk and would result in conflicts between sport anglers and other fishermen.

The best solution is to obtain authorization to use the current facilities that were transferred with the property. An alternative would be to obtain an authorization from the heirs of the Maggie John allotment. If the State is unsuccessful in their land purchase, the Forest Service will begin the process of building a new road that would access the Situk River north of the Maggie John allotment.

In the long term, best service to the public will be provided with access across one of the allotments. Constructing a new road and boat launch north of the Maggie John allotment will require the time for environmental analysis, permits, and contract performance.

More Information

Tricia O’Connor, Yakutat District Ranger, Tongass National Forest (907) 784-3359

Maria Lisowski, Assistant Director, Recreation, Lands & Minerals (907) 586-8891

Updated June 2006

USDA Forest Service - Tongass National Forest Accessibility Statement
Last Modified: February 15, 2007