Amakdedori Creek drains a watershed of 17,781 acres (7,196 ha) on the eastern flank of the Aleutian Range and flows south-east for 10 miles (16 km) to Kamishak Bay, about 26 miles (42 km) south-west of Augustine Island and 95 miles (153 km) south-west of Homer, Alaska. The creek was named after a historical Alaska Native camp called Amakdedori at the mouth of the creek that in 1905 consisted of two cabins. The camp was used by families from Iliamna Lake and Bristol Bay villages on the western flank of the Aleutian Range who hunted beluga whales and gathered shellfish in Cook Inlet. An ancient portage trail connected Amakdedori with Iliamna Lake and was used as a trade route between coastal and interior bands of Yup’ik, Alutiiq and Sugpiak.
The Pebble Mine is a proposed project to extract copper-gold-molybdenum porphyry ore, also known as the Pebble deposit, from an open-pit mine about 56 miles (90 km) north-west of the mouth of Amakdedori Creek. One proposed option is to export the ore from a port at the mouth of Amakdedori Creek, where a permanent year-round facility would be constructed to allow the direct loading of mineral concentrate on to bulk-carrier vessels for export and the import of mining equipment and supplies by barge. The port would require a causeway extending to a marine jetty in 15 feet (4.6 m) of water depth and a dredged channel for ships to access the loading berth safely on this dynamic stretch of coast known for its volatile weather and ocean conditions.
In 2010 several tribes in the Bristol Bay region petitioned the Environmental Protection Agency to stop the project from being built. The project was also under federal environmental review by the Army Corps of Engineers. In 2020 the Corps of Engineers denied a permit for the mine. In January 2023 the Environmental Protection Agency, after an extensive review of scientific and technical research spanning two decades and robust stakeholder engagement, issued a final determination. Under its Clean Water Act Section 404(c) authority, it determined that the discharges of dredged or fill material associated with the development of a mine at the Pebble deposit in the Bristol Bay watershed would have unacceptable adverse effects on certain salmon fisheries. This determination reflects the EPA’s commitment to protecting the Bristol Bay ecosystem, known for its significant salmon populations, which are vital both ecologically and economically. The decision underscores the importance of preserving natural habitats against potentially harmful industrial activities. Read more here and here. Explore more of Amakdedori Creek and Kamishak Bay here: