Galbraith Lake
| Galbraith Lake | |
|---|---|
 Galbraith Lake (1973) | |
| Location | North Slope Borough, Alaska |
| Coordinates | 68°28′N 149°25′W / 68.467°N 149.417°WCoordinates: 68°28′N 149°25′W / 68.467°N 149.417°W |
| Basin countries | United States |
| Max. length | 3.6 miles (5.8 km) |
Galbraith Lake is a lake located in the North Slope Borough of Alaska, United States. The surrounding area is uninhabited except for seasonal residents.
The lake is located on the west side of the Dalton Highway between miles 272-75 of the highway. The lake is approximately 3.6 miles long and was formed by glaciers, and is known to contain lake trout, burbot and grayling fish, with some reports of Arctic char.[1] A campground is also located near the lake.[1]
The lake was named in 1951 after Bart Galbraith, a bush pilot who died in a 1950 plane crash while flying from Barter Island to Barrow.[2][3][4]
Galbraith Lake Airport is located in the area, as well as Pump Station 4 of the Trans-Alaska Pipeline System.
A work camp was located at Galbraith Lake during the construction of the pipeline. An oil spill near the camp in 1975 caused some oil to enter the lake and a slick to appear on its surface.[5][6][7][8] Clean up efforts were then conducted.[9]
The infrastructure of the pipeline construction project in the 1970s also permitted the conduct of archeological investigations in the area, which previously had not been explored, funded by the Alyeska Pipeline Service Company.[10][11][12]
Prior names
Alternate prior names for the lake were "Natravak Lake" and "Sagavanirktok Lake." "Natravak" is an Eskimo name for "big lake" and a common name in northern Alaska.[3]
References
- 1 2 Haugen, Scott. Flyfisher's Guide to Alaska: Includes Light Tackle, p. 423 (2006 ed.)
- ↑ The Dalton Highway News, p. 5 (U.S. Department of Interior)
- 1 2 Orth, Donald J. Dictionary of Alaska Place Names, Issue 567, p. 358 (U.S. Department of Interior 1967)
- ↑ Cole, Dermot. Amazing Pipeline Stories, p. 68 (1997)
- ↑ (21 June 1971). Conservationists Keep Alaskan Oil In The Ground, St. Petersburg Times (Associated Press story)
- ↑ Slick forms on Lake Galbraith: Damage assessed in pipeline oil spill, The Bulletin (Bend) (Associated Press)
- ↑ Pollick, Steve (12 Jan. 1976). Fremont Engineer Likens Alaskan Oil Job To Army, The Blade
- ↑ (26 June 1975). Oil Leak in Alaska, Reading Eagle
- ↑ Clean up of oil spill at Galbraith Lake Camp, Alaska's Digital Archives, Retrieved 3 October 2014
- ↑ Arctic National Wildlife Refuge: final comprehensive conservation plan, p. 129 (1988)
- ↑ Alexander, Herbert L. Alaskan Survey, Expedition (Spring 1967)
- ↑ (27 June 1975). Ancient bonanza found in tough Alaska diggings, Deseret News (UPI)