Lake Surface Area Change in Central Alaska Network Parks, 2000–2024
Cash JA and Larsen AS. 2026. Lake Surface Area Change in Central Alaska Network Parks, 2000–2024. Science Report. NPS/SR—2026/509. National Park Service. Fort Collins, Colorado. https://doi.org/10.36967/2319387
This report examines changes in lake surface area across National Park Service units in the Central Alaska Network from 2000 to 2024. We processed raster tiles from the Landsat Dynamic Surface Water Extent data product collected during the open-water season, utilizing moving window averages and manual masking to reduce variation from non-target and erroneous water detections. Trend analyses were conducted for ecological subsections analyzed in previously published studies. We found a mix of positive and negative surface water coverage trends across our study area, with only one park unit (Denali National Park and Preserve) experiencing a significant trend across all analyzed subsections (−30.55 ha/yr, p = 0.03). These results provide updated trends in lake surface area change and contribute to understanding hydrological and landscape dynamics in Alaska’s national parks.
- Type
- Published Report
- Authors
- Cash, James; Larsen, Amy
- Date of Issue
- 2026-10
- Publisher
- National Park Service
- DOI
- 10.36967/2319387
- Units
- CAKN , DENA , NRSS , WRST , YUCH