Earthen water reservoir: Analysis, design, and construction. Kipnuk, Alaska

Residents in the Village of Kipnuk, Alaska are faced with shortages of treated potable water though out the year. This predicament has burdened residents with having to rely on traditional water gathering methods such as thawing blocks of ice and collecting snow melt and rain. Efforts to develop an economically feasible water source using traditional means such as a groundwater well or river intake have thus far been unsuccessful due to the high saline content in the ground and surface water around Kipnuk.; This thesis examines the planning, design, construction and development efforts undertaken to provide Kipnuk with an earthen water reservoir. By employing a combination of snow catchment, rain, and snowmelt for supply, the reservoir represents a unique approach to water source development and offers a potential solution for communities facing conditions similar to those in Kipnuk.; With construction completed in the fall of 1998, installation of a treatment system to treat raw reservoir water is scheduled for summer 2005. Delivery of potable water to the residents of Kipnuk from the reservoir will establish its viability as a water source in terms of treatability and constructability. Economic viability will determined through a combination of financial and operational success over long-term use of the reservoir.