Welcome to the Kachemak Bay National Estuarine Research Reserve!
We are a team of researchers, educators and support staff working to develop a better understanding of ecological processes in the Gulf of Alaska, with emphasis on Lower Cook Inlet and Kachemak Bay. In 1999, Kachemak Bay was designated as part of the National Estuarine Research Reserve system. Estuaries are partially enclosed bodies of water where freshwater from the land mixes with the ocean's saltwater. We operate as a partnership between the federal government (National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration), the state government (Alaska Department of Fish and Game) and the local community. Our goal is to conduct ecosystem-based research and to provide outreach of current research findings to foster a life-long appreciation and understanding of the coastal environment for people of all ages.
Kachemak Bay Research Reserve has partnered with the Northwest Association of Networked Ocean Observing Systems (NANOOS) to provide real-time water quality data to shellfish growers.
