AVEC Facilities: Togiak

AVEC Facilities

Togiak

(TOAG-ee-ack)

Togiak is located at the head of Togiak Bay, 67 miles west of Dillingham. It lies in Togiak National Wildlife Refuge, and is the gateway to Walrus Island Game Sanctuary. In 1880, "Old Togiak," or "Togiagamute," was located across the Bay, and had a population of 276. Heavy winter snowfalls made wood-gathering difficult at Old Togiak, so gradually people settled at a new site on the opposite shore, where the task was easier. Many residents of the Yukon-Kuskokwim region migrated south to the Togiak area after the devastating influenza epidemic in 1918-19. A school was established in an old church in 1950. A school building and a National Guard Armory were constructed in 1959. Togiak was flooded in 1964, and many fish racks and stores of gas, fuel oil and stove oil were destroyed. Three or four households left Togiak after the flood and developed the village of Twin Hills upriver. The City government was incorporated in 1969.

Original power plant

Original bulk fuel tank farm

New fuel-efficient Cummins QSX15 engine

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Togiak Facts

Community Profile

Current Population: 783
# of Consumers: 307
Incorporation Type: 2nd Class City
Total Generating Capacity (kw): 1,673

Community Facilities

Water is derived from a well, treated and stored in a tank.
The majority of households are connected to the piped water and sewer system; the remaining homes have new individual wells and septic tanks. 35 new HUD housing units have a sewage system. In all, 210 homes are fully plumbed, and 14 are not.
Landfill
Gravel airstrip and crosswind airstrip with navigation aids
No docking facilities, freight is brought in by air or barge and lightered to shore
One school
Local sub-regional health clinic - a qualified Emergency Care Center
Emergency Services have coastal and air access.

Economy

Togiak's economic base is primarily commercial salmon, herring, and herring roe-on-kelp fisheries. 244 residents hold commercial fishing permits; fishermen use flat-bottom boats for the shallow waters of Togiak Bay. There is one on-shore fish processor and several floating processing facilities near Togiak. The entire community depends heavily on subsistence activities. Salmon, herring, seal, sea lion, whale and walrus are among the species harvested. A few residents trap.

Culture and Activities

A federally-recognized tribe is located in the community -- the Togiak Traditional Council. Togiak is a traditional Yup'ik Eskimo village with a fishing and subsistence lifestyle. The sale, importation or possession of alcohol is banned in the village. Skiffs, autos, ATVs and snowmachines are used for local transportation.

Climate

Climatic transition zone, however the arctic climate also affects this region
Summer temperatures range from 37 to 66
Winter temperatures range from 4 to 30
Precipitation averages 20 to 26 in/year
Fog and high winds are prevalent during the winter
The Bay is ice-free from June through mid-November.

Community Weather

Broken clouds, 48°F

Alaska Village Electric Cooperative

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