(a) The commissioner shall protect riparian areas from the significant adverse effects of timber harvest activities on fish habitat and water quality. The management intent for riparian areas is the adequate preservation of fish habitat by maintaining a short- and long-term source of large woody debris, stream bank stability, channel morphology, water temperatures, stream flows, water quality, adequate nutrient cycling, food sources, clean spawning gravels, and sunlight.

Terms Used In Alaska Statutes 41.17.115

  • operations: means timber harvesting or activates associated with timber harvesting or forest development unless exempted under Alaska Stat. See Alaska Statutes 41.17.950
  • other public land: means state land managed by state agencies other than the department, land owned by a municipality, and land owned by the University of Alaska. See Alaska Statutes 41.17.950
  • state: means the State of Alaska unless applied to the different parts of the United States and in the latter case it includes the District of Columbia and the territories. See Alaska Statutes 01.10.060
(b) The commissioner shall adopt regulations for the protection of riparian areas; the regulations may include higher standards of protection for fish and other public resources on land managed by the department than on other public land or private land. The regulations may vary by region of the state and must take into consideration reasonable classification of water bodies and the economic feasibility of timber operations.
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