Mariners may see drift buoys labelled “PWSSC” around Port Valdez over the next few weeks. They are part of a study to measure flow patterns at various depths within the Port.
The study is funded by the council in collaboration with the Prince William Sound Science Center.
The dates the drifter buoys will be in the water are:
- Release on September 21
- Retrieval on September 30
Please do not pick up the buoys! They are being monitored via GPS and need to be allowed to drift where the current takes them. Buoys that run aground, appear to be in the path of tanker traffic, or that drift inside the exclusion zone around the terminal will be retrieved and re-released.
The buoys will have drogues attached that trail beneath them in the water, to depths of anywhere from one meter to 40 meters. Please be cautious when navigating around these drifter buoys.
Download flyer: Port Valdez Drift buoy study flyer
For more information, contact Jeremy Robida at 907-834-5040.
If you have a buoy-related emergency, call 907-834-5040 or 907-834-5000.