A large set of "valves" on the Chena river flood control dikes. These
are part of a system designed to prevent a repetition of Fairbanks' 1967
flood. The valve structure is a large concrete dam built into the earth
dikes on either side, with huge gates that can drop down into the river
from the center of the dam (the mesh gates on the outside can be lowered
to trap logs and other debris which could clog the dam). At one side is
a fish ladder, and the interior of the dam holds a generator and control
room of some kind.
More photos of the dam
The control room entrance.
The fish ladder, it begins as a tunnel, gets taller (that's actuall
a snow-covered steel mesh walkway at the top of the middle photo), and
then becomes a series of water baffles. Near the upper end there's a smashed
window in a small chamber, apparently used to observe or count the fish.
Climbing around on the dam. Barbed wire sucks.
The Army Corps of Engineers offices nearby are an old Nike missile
base! This one (Site Tare) was found completely by accident, we were actually
looking for two other Nike bases in the area and came across this one on
the way to the dam.