kotzebue - NANA Regional Corporation

KOT ZEBUE
LOCATION
KOTZEBUE
Kotzebue – Kikiktagruk, or “almost an island” in
Iñupiaq – is located along three miles of a 1,100
to 3,600- foot wide gravel spit on the Baldwin
Peninsula, which extends into the Kotzebue Sound
near the mouths of the Kobuk, Noatak and Selawik
Rivers. Kotzebue is 26 miles north of the Arctic Circle
and 549 air miles northwest of Anchorage. Kotzebue
is a gateway to the region’s other communities, and
to natural wonders such as the Bering Land Bridge
National Preserve, the Noatak National Preserve and
the Kobuk Valley National Park.
CLIMATE AND
TOPOGRAPHY
Kotzebue is in a transitional climate zone
characterized by long, cold winters and cool
summers. Because of its coastal position, the
Kotzebue climate is more temperate than elsewhere
in northwest Alaska. The average low temperature
in winter months ranges from 7 degrees below
zero (Fahrenheit) to 12 degrees below zero. The
average winter high temperatures range from 2 to
9 degrees Fahrenheit. Summer lows range from 25
to 48 degrees Fahrenheit, summer highs 50 to 60
degrees. Temperature extremes have been measured
from 52 degrees below zero to 85 degrees above.
The daily low temperature in Kotzebue dips below
freezing around 250 days per year. Snowfall averages
40” per year, rainfall 9”, with more than 100 days of
precipitation per year. Kotzebue topography consists
of a gravel and tundra spit, low bushes and no trees.
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KOT ZEBUE
TRANSPORTATION
SERVICES AND
FACILITIES AIR
Air—The Ralph Wien Memorial Airport is the
only airport in the Northwest Arctic Borough that
supports daily jet service to Anchorage and Nome
as well as regularly scheduled flights to outlying
villages. The airport has a paved 6,000’ long primary
runway and a 4,000’ crosswind gravel runway.
Kotzebue also has a seaplane base. Round-trip
tickets between Kotzebue and Anchorage cost
around $400 to $600. Tickets to Nome cost about
$300. Approximate round-trip ticket prices from
Kotzebue to villages in northwest Alaska are: Ambler,
$400; Buckland, $250; Deering $250; Kiana, $250;
Kivalina, $250; Kobuk, $350; Noatak, $250; Noorvik,
$250; Selawik, $250; Shungnak, $400. All airfares
approximate and subject to change according
to season, timing of purchase, and other factors
determined by airlines.
Land—There are around 30 miles of roads in
Kotzebue. Most are gravel, but several streets have
been paved, to help keep dust down. Cars, trucks,
ATVs and motorcycles travel these roads during the
summer. Snow machines are the vehicles of choice
during winter months for travel around Kotzebue as
well as on the frozen Kotzebue Sound and the iced
over rivers leading away from town.
Water/Marine—Kotzebue is the distribution and
transshipment point for heavy equipment, fuel,
building materials, food and other supplies that
arrive from Seattle on deep draft barges during the
approximately 100 days when Kotzebue Sound is
navigable, usually early July to early October. Due to
river sediments deposited by the Noatak River four
miles above Kotzebue, the harbor is too shallow to
allow large freighters to approach closer than 15
miles offshore. From there, cargo loads are lightered
by shallow draft barges to shore and warehoused.
The city is examining the feasibility of developing
a deep-water port, since the cost of lightering the
cargo 15 miles from the Kotzebue Sound is onefourth of the total cost of barging cargo 3,000 miles
away from Seattle. Kotzebue residents use small
boats for recreation and subsistence activities as well
as transporting small cargo loads to villages upriver.
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KOT ZEBUE
THE PEOPLE
GOVERNMENT
Kotzebue is the largest community in northwest Alaska.
Its rate of growth has accelerated over the years, from 200
residents in 1900 to 623 residents in 1950 to 3,082 residents
in 2000. The current population is about 3,200. Seventy-five
percent of Kotzebue residents are Iñupiat Eskimos.
Kotzebue is a second-class city, and elects a mayor, vice
mayor and city council. It is one of the communities of the
Northwest Arctic Borough, and is the borough seat. The
Native Village of Kotzebue is the local tribal government, as
organized under the Indian Reorganization Act (amended
for Alaska in 1936).
LOCAL GOVERNMENTAL SERVICES
Water—The Kotzebue public water is drawn from the
150-million-gallon Vortac Reservoir, located one-and-half
miles from the city. Water from the reservoir is treated
and then stored in a 1.5 million-gallon tank. To prevent
freeze-up problems in the winter, the water is heated by
a waste heat recovery system at the electric plant and
then distributed in circulating mains. About 80 percent of
households in Kotzebue are fully plumbed.
Sewer—Sewage is piped from the roughly 520 homes
connected to the city system to a 32-acre zero discharge
holding and treatment lagoon situated west of the airport.
The remaining households utilize honeybuckets.
Solid Waste Disposal—The City of Kotzebue transports
solid waste from dumpsters around town to a landfill with
a compactor and baler. Recycling and hazardous waste
disposal are likewise provided by the city.
Public Safety—The City of Kotzebue’s police department
serves the city’s law enforcement needs, and operates
the Kotzebue Regional Jail Facility, which holds prisoners
from throughout the borough, as well as State of Alaska
prisoners. The Kotzebue Fire Department is available to
respond to emergencies, with staff and volunteer members.
A detachment of Alaska State Troopers, tasked with serving
the entire borough, is based in Kotzebue.
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KOT ZEBUE
OTHER SERVICES AND
UTILITIES
Telecommunications—Kotzebue-based OTZ
Telephone Cooperative provides a variety of land
line, cellular phone and wireless Internet services to
Ambler residents and businesses. Internet service
is provided through Inutek.net, a cooperative effort
between OTZ, Maniilaq Association and Anchoragebased GCI Communications.
Telephone
Service
Residential
Business
Basic local service
(single land line)
$25.00/mo.
$46.00/mo.
Long distance
$0.13 - $0.16/
minute
$.18/min.
256k download
64k upload
1.5mbps download
256k upload
$39.99/mo.
$164.99/mo.
DSL Internet rates
vary Sample rates
given are lowest
and highest
Electricity—The privately owned Kotzebue Electric
Association supplies electricity to Kotzebue’s
residents. Since 1997, windmills have been
producing some electricity for the city, offsetting
diesel use.
Winter 2009 Rates
First 50kw to second 50kw
Up to 10,000kw and above
0.4144¢/kw - 0.3577¢/kw
0.2372¢/kw - 0.2230¢/kw
*Power Cost Equalization (PCE) helps offset costs to residential users – rates shown here do not include PCE.
Health Services—The Maniilaq Health Center is the
primary health facility for residents of the Northwest
Arctic Borough, plus Point Hope. Rebuilt in 1994, the
Maniilaq Health Center includes an ER with local and
Medivac support for accident and trauma victims,
as well as an Ambulatory Care clinic, a Dental
Clinic, an Eye Clinic, a Pharmacy, a laboratory and
an Inpatient wing for recovering patients. Further,
the clinic houses a physical therapy department
and offers a spectrum of radiology testing such as
mammograms, ultrasound, EKGs and X-Rays. When
medical needs exceed capabilities of the Health
Center, patients are sent to the Alaska Native Medical
Center, in Anchorage. Construction of an elder care
wing, which will expand some existing services,
is underway.
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KOT ZEBUE
SCHOOLS
Kotzebue has two schools. The June Nelson
Elementary School (JNES) provides instruction for
grades pre-Kindergarten through five. JNES has
about 325 students per year and employs around
24 teachers. JNES has a playground, multipurpose
room and a library. Kotzebue Middle/High School
(KHMS) provides instruction for grades six through
12. KHMS employs around 30 teachers. The middle/
high school has a full-size gym, library, a wood,
engine, and metal shop, and a music room. In
addition to academic classes and electives there
is a wide variety of after-school activities. Alaska
Technical Center provides post-secondary training
in office management, administrative work, building
maintenance and health occupations. The University
of Alaska, Chukchi campus provides a variety of
college and vocational courses both onsite and
through teleconferencing.
EMPLOYMENT/
ECONOMY
Kotzebue is the transfer point between ocean and
inland cargo shipping as well as the air transit hub for
all eleven villages in the Northwest Arctic Borough.
It has a cash-based economy to a degree unique to
the region, driven by a combination of public and
private sector enterprises. Activities related to oil
and minerals exploration and development, most
notably the Red Dog Mine, provide many jobs in
Kotzebue. Other large employers include the school
district, NANA Regional Corporation, and city and
Borough governments. Maniilaq Association, the
region’s largest private employer, is headquartered
in Kotzebue and most of the organization’s facilities
are located in the city, including the $42 million
Maniilaq Health Center, the Putyuk Children’s Home
and the Senior Center. Small businesses include
restaurants and grocery stores. Most residents
depend on traditional subsistence hunting, fishing
and gathering.
HOUSING
There are roughly 1,000 residential units in
Kotzebue, around 90 percent of which are occupied.
Approximately 550 residential structures are
detached single-family dwellings. The remaining are
trailers, duplexes and apartment complexes holding
a total of around 300 apartments. The median
home value in Kotzebue is $116, 700. The median
rent is $982. The average family household size
is 3.9 persons.
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