Knik Arm (Dena'ina:Nuti) is awaterway into the northwestern part of theGulf of Alaska. It is one of two narrow branches ofCook Inlet, the other beingTurnagain Arm.Knik Glacier empties into the Knik Arm. ThePort of Anchorage is located on the arm.
TheDena'ina name for Knik Arm isNuti, meaning "salt water".[1] The name "Knik" comes fromigniq, theIñupiaq word for "fire". It has been written Kinik, Kneep, Kneik, Kook, Knuyk, and Kweek.[2]
Knik Arm begins at the Inlet's northern edge, nearAnchorage, before heading north and east. It is about 15 miles (24 km) long, and at its upper end, receives the waters of theMatanuska River. West of Knik Arm is the delta of theSusitna River, the largest stream emptying into the inlet.[3] At the head of Knik Arm, at the mouth ofKnik River, was the village (ghost town) ofKnik.[4] Knik Arm's other major tributaries areShip Creek,Eagle River, Peter's Creek,Eklutna River and Fish Creek. The greater part of the plain, lying between the Knik Arm and the Susitna River, is drained by the Little Susitna. The upper part of Knik Arm merges into the delta of the Knik and Matanuska rivers, which unite just above tide limits.[5]
Knakatnuk andNitak (or Nitakh) were historic native villages on the arm's shore.[2] The1964 Alaska earthquake destroyed or significantly damaged most of the Anchorage neighborhoods adjacent to the Arm, including the downtown area. The proposedKnik Arm Bridge would measure approximately 2 miles (3.2 km) fromPoint MacKenzie on the west in theMatanuska-Susitna Borough to Anchorage on the east.[6] TheKnik Arm ferry was a proposed year-round passenger and autoferry across the arm which was to use the M/VSusitnaSWATH / barge convertible expedition craft.[7]
This article incorporates text from this source, which is in thepublic domain: U. S. Congress's "Congressional edition" (1901) This article incorporates text from this source, which is in thepublic domain: Fish and Wildlife Service's "North American Fauna" (1897) This article incorporates text from this source, which is in thepublic domain: Alaska (Ter.) Governor's "Annual Report ... to the Secretary of the Interior" (1898) This article incorporates text from this source, which is in thepublic domain: U.S. Geological Survey's "Annual Report of the United States Geological Survey to the Secretary of the Interior" (1900)
Media related toKnik Arm at Wikimedia Commons61°12′00″N150°13′00″W / 61.2000°N 150.2167°W /61.2000; -150.2167
