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Current
Population: Location:
Valdez is located on the north shore of Port
Valdez, a deep water fjord in Prince William Sound.
It lies 305 road miles east of Anchorage, and 364
road miles south of Fairbanks. It is the southern
terminus of the Trans-Alaska oil pipeline. It lies
at approximately 61d 07m N Latitude, 146d 16m W
Longitude. (Sec. 32, T008S, R006W, Copper
River Meridian.) Valdez is located in
the Valdez Recording District. The area
encompasses 222 sq. miles of land and 55.1 sq.
miles of water. January temperatures range
from 21 to 30; July temperatures are 46 to 61.
Annual precipitation is 59.3 inches. The average
snowfall is, incredibly, 300 inches (25 feet)
annually. History:
The Port of Valdez was named in 1790 by Don
Salvador Fidalgo for the celebrated Spanish naval
officer Antonio Valdes y Basan. Due to its
excellent ice-free port, a town developed in 1898
as a debarkation point for men seeking a route to
the Eagle Mining District and the Klondike gold
fields. Valdez soon became the supply center of its
own gold mining region, and incorporated as a City
in 1901. Fort Liscum was established in 1900, and a
sled and wagon road was constructed to Fort Egbert
in Eagle by the U.S. Army. The Alaska Road
Commission further developed the road for
automobile travel to Fairbanks; it was completed by
the early 1920s. A slide of unstable submerged land
during the 1964 earthquake destroyed the original
City waterfront, killing several residents. The
community was rebuilt on a more stable bedrock
foundation 4 miles to the west. During the 1970s,
construction of the Trans-Alaska oil pipeline
terminal and other cargo transportation facilities
brought rapid growth to Valdez. In March 1989, it
was the center for the massive oil-spill cleanup
after the "Exxon Valdez" disaster. In a few short
days, the population of the town tripled.
Culture:
As a result of significant oil taxation revenues,
the City offers a variety of quality public
services. Economy:
Valdez has one of the highest municipal tax bases
in Alaska as the southern terminus and off-loading
point of oil extracted from Prudhoe Bay on the
North Slope. Four of the top ten employers in
Valdez are directly connected to the oil terminus.
Alyeska Pipeline Service Co. employs nearly 300
persons. Valdez is a major seaport, with a $48
million cargo and container facility. City, state,
and federal agencies combined provide significant
employment. Seasonal commercial fishing and tourism
have spurred the retail and service sectors. 27
cruise ships will dock in Valdez in 2002. 43
residents hold commercial fishing permits. Three
fish processing plants operate in Valdez, including
Peter Pan and Seahawk Seafoods. Facilities:
Water is derived from four primary wells and is
stored in two 750,000-gal. reservoirs prior to
piped distribution throughout Valdez. Water storage
capacity is 2.24 million gallons. The sewage
treatment plant is capable of processing 1.25
million gallons a day. Sewage is deposited in a
secondary treatment lagoon. Over 95% of homes are
fully plumbed. Many homes use individual wells and
septic tanks. The landfill uses a balefill system.
An oil and hazardous waste recycling center was
completed in 1998. Copper Valley Electric purchases
power from the State-owned Solomon Gulch Hydro
Facility, and owns diesel plants in Glennallen and
Valdez. Transportation:
The Richardson Highway connects Valdez to
Anchorage, Fairbanks and Canada. Port Valdez is
ice-free year round and is navigated by hundreds of
ocean-going oil cargo vessels each year. The State
Ferry provides transport to Whittier, Cordova,
Kodiak, Seward and Homer in the summer; Cordova
only in the winter. Valdez has the largest floating
concrete dock in the world, with a 1,200' front and
water depth exceeding 80'. Numerous cargo and
container facilities are present in Valdez. A small
harbor accommodates 546 commercial fishing boats
and recreational vessels. Boat launches and
haul-out services are available. Both barges and
trucking services deliver cargo to the City. The
airport is operated by the state, with a 6,500'
paved runway, instrument landing system and control
tower. A State-owned seaplane base is available at
Robe Lake. Climate:
January temperatures range from 21 to 30; July
temperatures are 46 to 61. Annual precipitation is
59.3 inches. The average snowfall is, incredibly,
300 inches (25 feet) annually. |
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 © 2001-2004 Chugach School District. Website by Sundog Media & Alaska Internet Services |
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Valdez