Project Overview
The Municipality of Anchorage Parks and Recreation Department (APR) is working with federal and state partners to address bluff instability at Kincaid Park following the 2018 earthquake and 2022 bluff erosion event. APR and its engineers are actively monitoring the Jodhpur Bluff at Kincaid Park and working with the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) to stabilize the bluff and repair erosion from these events.
Timeline of Events
2018 Earthquake
On November 30, 2018, Anchorage experienced a powerful magnitude 7.1 earthquake. As a result of the earthquake, the crest of the Jodhpur Bluff at Kincaid Park experienced distress with the formation of tension cracks running parallel to the slope, located between 5 and 10 feet below the crest on the Cook Inlet (downslope) side. Inspections show that the cracks run nearly the entire length of the slope top (over 500 feet), including in the area adjacent to the pond, had surface apertures of up to 6 inches and depths of over 5 feet.
2022 Erosion
Following record precipitation, on November 2, 2022, a significant erosion event was observed on the slope cause by water that had escaped the pond and flowed down the slope. The event caused a large amount of soil to be transported down the bluff, creating a debris fan at the toe on the tidal flats. Based on surface observations, it was apparent that water had not overtopped the slope.
A geotechnical engineer’s assessment concludes that the pond water was able to seep through shallow loosened soils and voids caused by the 2018 earthquake. Once the water had penetrated into the established tension crack, the crack acted as a drainage path for more water to flow into the slope soils and compound the erosion to the slope.
Next Steps
Anchorage Parks and Recreation, in cooperation with FEMA and its engineers, have obtained permits and issued a Bid Award in Fall 2024 for the reconstruction of the bluff and pond.
Construction began in April, 2025 and is estimated to be substantially complete by July, 2025.