Akwe River

Akwe River in Detail.

In Tongass National Forest, heading in Akwe Lake at the foot of Chamberlain Glacier and flowing SW, Then SE, to its junction with the Ustay River and then flowing NW behind the beach bar until it reaches the Gulf of Alaska and the Pacific Ocean 30 mi SE of Yakutat Bay, Malaspina Coastal Plain Pass, Talkeetna Mts. 20 miles long.

Akwe River heads at Akwe Lake and flows southwest 20 miles parallel to the coast before joining with the New Italio River and entering into the Gulf of Alaska, 35 miles southeast of Yakutat Bay. Akwe River is about a 20-minute coastal flight from Yakutat.

The lower 8 miles of the Akwe River are shallow and wide, a great opportunity for tidal fishing for anglers. Gill-netting is prohibited on the lower mile of the Akwe river. Rainbow Trout, Cutthroat and Dolly are nearly always abundant. June - July is great for King Salmon, July-August is best for Pink Salmon, Chum, and Sockeye, and the latter part of August - October is est for Coho Salmon.

The weather can cause the Akwe River's volume can fluctuate dramatically. Dry periods and warm weather can shrink its volume while increasing the silt content. Heavy rains can change it into a chocolate milk-colored torrent.

Tlingit Indian name first reported in 1849 by Captain Mikhail Dmitrievich Tebenkof, Imperial Russian Navy (IRN), governor of Russian America (1852, map 7) as Reka Akve or Akve River and since recorded with various spellings. Evidently, the name was applied originally to the whole drainage system between the Italio River and the Alsek delta area but has been restricted in its application since 1901.

Akwe River is a Tlingit name first reported by Captain Tebenkov (1852, map 7), IRN, as "R[eka] Akve," or Akve River," and since recorded with various spellings. The name was evidently applied originally to the whole drainage system between the Italio River and the Alsek Delta area. The name has been restricted in its application, however, since 1901.