Editing Kenai, Alaska

{{short description|City in Alaska, United States}}
{{About|the city in Alaska|other uses|Kenai (disambiguation)}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=April 2024}}
{{Infobox settlement
| name                     = Kenai, Alaska
| settlement_type          = [[City (Alaska)|City]]
| image_skyline            = Kenai AK aerial.jpg
| image_caption            = Aerial view of part of downtown Kenai. The intersection of Willow Street and Barnacle Way is in the center of the foreground. [[Cook Inlet]] and [[Mount Redoubt]] are in the background.
| image_flag               = 
| image_seal               = Seal of the City of Kenai, Alaska.png
| nickname                 = 
| motto                    = "Village with a Past - City with a Future"
| image_map             = Kenai_Municipal_Map.png
| map_caption           = Location in Kenai Peninsula Borough, Alaska
| coordinates              = {{Coord|60|33|31|N|151|13|47|W|region:US-AK_type:city|display=inline,title}}
| coordinates_footnotes    = <ref name="GR1"/>
| subdivision_type         = Country
| subdivision_name         = [[United States]]
| subdivision_type1        = [[U.S. state|State]]
| subdivision_name1        = [[Alaska]]
| subdivision_type2        = [[List of boroughs and census areas in Alaska|Borough]]
| subdivision_name2        = [[Kenai Peninsula Borough, Alaska|Kenai Peninsula]]
| established_title        = [[Municipal corporation|Incorporated]]
| established_date         = May 10, 1960<ref>{{Cite journal|title=Directory of Borough and City Officials 1974|journal=Alaska Local Government|volume=XIII|issue=2|page=45|location=Juneau|publisher=[[Alaska Department of Commerce, Community and Economic Development|Alaska Department of Community and Regional Affairs]]|date=January 1974}}</ref>
| government_type          = <!-- Government -->
| government_footnotes     = 
| leader_title             = [[Mayor]]
| leader_name              = Brian Gabriel<ref>{{Cite book|title=2015 Alaska Municipal Officials Directory|location=Juneau|publisher=Alaska Municipal League|year=2015|page=83}}</ref>
| leader_title1            = [[Alaska Senate|State senator]]
| leader_name1             = [[Jesse Bjorkman]] ([[Republican Party (United States)|R]])
| leader_title2            = [[Alaska House of Representatives|State rep.]]
| leader_name2             = [[Justin Ruffridge]] (R)
| unit_pref                = Imperial
| area_footnotes           = <ref name="CenPopGazetteer2020">{{cite web|title=2020 U.S. Gazetteer Files|url=https://www2.census.gov/geo/docs/maps-data/data/gazetteer/2020_Gazetteer/2020_gaz_place_02.txt|publisher=United States Census Bureau|accessdate=October 29, 2021}}</ref>
| area_total_km2           = 93.15
| area_total_sq_mi         = 35.96
| area_land_km2            = 75.47
| area_land_sq_mi          = 29.14
| area_water_km2           = 17.67
| area_water_sq_mi         = 6.82
<!-- Elevation -->
| elevation_footnotes      = 
| elevation_m              = 22
| elevation_ft             = 72
| population_footnotes     = 
| population_total         = 7424
| population_as_of         = [[2020 United States census|2020]]
| pop_est_footnotes        = 
| population_est           = 
| pop_est_as_of            = 
| population_density_km2   = 98.37
| population_density_sq_mi = 254.77
<!-- General information -->
| timezone                 = [[Alaska Time Zone|Alaska (AKST)]]
| utc_offset               = &minus;9
| timezone_DST             = AKDT
| utc_offset_DST           = &minus;8
| postal_code_type         = [[ZIP code]]s
| postal_code              = 99611, 99635
| area_code_type           = [[North American Numbering Plan|Area code]]
| area_code                = [[Area code 907|907]]
| blank_name               = [[Federal Information Processing Standard|FIPS]] code
| blank_info               = {{FIPS|02|38420}}
| blank1_name              = [[Geographic Names Information System|GNIS]] feature ID
| blank1_info              = {{GNIS4|1413299}}, {{GNIS4|2419407}}
| website                  = {{URL|www.kenai.city}}
| native_name              = Kenai<br>''Shk'ituk't''
}}

'''Kenai''' ({{IPAc-en|ˈ|k|iː|n|aɪ}}, {{respell|KEE|ny}}; [[Dena'ina language|Dena'ina]]: {{lang|tfn|Shk'ituk't}}; {{langx|ru|Кенай}}, ''Kenay'') is a [[City (Alaska)|city]] in the [[Kenai Peninsula Borough, Alaska|Kenai Peninsula Borough]] in the [[U.S. state]] of [[Alaska]].<ref name="2010 Census">{{Cite web|url=http://factfinder.census.gov/bkmk/table/1.0/en/DEC/10_DP/DPDP1/1600000US0238420|archive-url=https://archive.today/20200212111834/http://factfinder.census.gov/bkmk/table/1.0/en/DEC/10_DP/DPDP1/1600000US0238420|url-status=dead|archive-date=February 12, 2020|title=Kenai city, Alaska|work=Profile of General Population and Housing Characteristics: 2010 Demographic Profile Data|publisher=[[United States Census Bureau]]|access-date=January 22, 2013}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.commerce.state.ak.us/dca/commdb/CIS.cfm?Comm_Boro_name=Kenai|title=Kenai|publisher=Division of Community and Regional Affairs, [[Alaska Department of Commerce, Community and Economic Development]]|access-date=January 24, 2013|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121018002844/http://www.commerce.state.ak.us/dca/commdb/CIS.cfm?Comm_Boro_Name=Kenai|archive-date=October 18, 2012}}</ref> By road, it is 158 miles southwest of [[Anchorage, Alaska|Anchorage]]. The population was 7,424 as of the [[2020 United States census|2020 census]], up from 7,100 in 2010,<ref name="2020 Census Data">
 {{cite web
 | url = https://live.laborstats.alaska.gov/cen/2020-census-data.html
 | title = 2020 Census Data - Cities and Census Designated Places
 | format = Web
 | publisher = State of Alaska, Department of Labor and Workforce Development
 | access-date = October 31, 2021
}}
</ref> the [[List of cities in Alaska|fifteenth-most populated city]] in the state.

== History ==
[[File:Alaska - Kenai - NARA - 23939787.jpg|thumb|right|Kenai in the 1940s]]
The city of Kenai is named after the local [[Dena'ina language|Dena'ina]] word 'ken' or 'kena', which means 'flat, meadow, open area with few trees; base, low ridge', according to the Dena'ina Topical Dictionary by James Kari, Ph.D., published in 2007. This describes the area along the mouth and portion of the Kenai River near the City of Kenai. Archaeological evidence suggests that the area was first occupied by the [[Kachemak]] people from 1000 B.C., until they were displaced by the [[Dena'ina (tribe)|Dena'ina]] [[Athabaskan]] people around 1000 A.D. Before the arrival of the Russians, Kenai was a Dena'ina village called ''Shk'ituk't'', meaning "where we slide down." When Russian fur traders first arrived in 1741, about 1,000 Dena'ina lived in the village. The traders called the people "Kenaitze", which is a Russian term for "people of the flats", or "Kenai people". This name was later adopted when they were incorporated as the Kenaitze [[Alaska Natives|Alaskan Natives]] in the early 1970s.

=== Fur trade ===
In 1786, [[Pytor Zaykov]] built [[Fort Nikolaevskaia|Nikolaevskaia krepost]] (Fort Nicholas) for the [[Lebedev-Lastochkin Company]] on the site of modern Kenai, being the first European settlement on the Alaskan mainland.<ref name=LLC>Solojova, Katerina and Aleksandra Vovnyanko. ''The Rise and Decline of the Lebedev-Lastochkin Company: Russian Colonization of South Central Alaska, 1787–1798.''&nbsp;The Pacific Northwest Quarterly 90, No. 4 (1999), pp. 191-205.</ref> Hostilities surfaced between the natives and settlers in 1797, culminating in an incident in which the Dena'ina attacked Fort St. Nicholas, later dubbed the battle of Kenai. Over one hundred deaths occurred from all involved parties. In 1838, the introduction of smallpox killed one half of the Dena'ina population.

=== United States ===
[[File:Kenai Church.JPG|left|thumb|Holy Assumption Russian Orthodox Church]]
In 1869, after the [[Alaska Purchase]], the United States Army established a post called Fort Kenay. It was soon abandoned.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.explorenorth.com/library/communities/alaska/bl-Kenai.htm|title=The History of Kenai, Alaska}}</ref>

In 1895–96, the [[Holy Assumption of the Virgin Mary Church|Holy Assumption of the Virgin Mary Russian Orthodox Church]] was built in the village.<ref>{{cite web|title=Holy Assumption Orthodox Church|url=http://www.nps.gov/history/history/online_books/nhl/russian-america/sec4.htm|publisher=National Park Service|access-date=August 21, 2014}}</ref> It is still in use today.

The establishment of shipping companies in the early 1900s broadened Kenai into a port city. Canning companies were established and helped fuel the commercial fishing boom that was the primary activity through the 1920s.

In 1940, [[Homestead Act|homesteads]] were opened in the area. The first dirt road from [[Anchorage, Alaska|Anchorage]] was constructed in 1951; pavement would not arrive until 1956 with the construction of the [[Kenai Spur Highway]].

A military base, Wildwood Army Station (later Wildwood Air Force Station), was established in 1953, and served as a major communications post. Wildwood was conveyed in 1974 to the Kenai Native Association in partial settlement of [[Alaska Native Claims Settlement Act|Alaska Native land claims]]. The facility was leased and later purchased by the State of Alaska and presently serves as the [[Wildwood Correctional Complex]].<ref>Welker, Randy S. (July 9, 1993). [http://www.legaudit.state.ak.us/pages/audits/1993/pdf/4471.pdf ''Department of Corrections: Wildwood Correctional Center Acquisition''.] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070221150608/http://www.legaudit.state.ak.us/pages/audits/1993/pdf/4471.pdf |date=February 21, 2007 }} [http://www.legaudit.state.ak.us/ Alaska Division of Legislative Audit] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070206004617/http://www.legaudit.state.ak.us/ |date=February 6, 2007 }}. Audit control no. 20-4471-93. Retrieved on March 12, 2007.</ref><ref>Alaska Department of Corrections. [http://www.correct.state.ak.us/corrections/institutions/wwcc/ Wildwood Correctional Complex] (official site). Retrieved on March 12, 2007.</ref>

=== Statehood ===
In 1965, offshore oil discoveries in [[Cook Inlet]] caused a period of rapid growth. They were a part of a series of oil deposits located during the middle of the 20th century. In 1957, oil was discovered at [[Swanson River]], {{convert|20|mi|km}} northeast of Kenai. This was the first major oil discovery in Alaska.<ref>{{cite web|title=Modern Alaska: Oil Discovery and Development in Alaska|url=http://www.akhistorycourse.org/articles/article.php?artID=140|publisher=Alaska History & Cultural Studies|access-date=August 21, 2014|archive-date=May 7, 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140507070134/http://www.akhistorycourse.org/articles/article.php?artID=140|url-status=dead}}</ref>

In 1992 and 2011, Kenai was named one of the [[All-America City Award|All-America Cities]].

In 2008, the Kenai River was designated as a Category 5, or "impaired," water body by the State of Alaska in accordance with the federal [[Clean Water Act]]. The Kenai River Working Group (KRWG) was formed to address the issue of [[water pollution]]. By 2010, the status of the river was changed to a Category 2, or "water that attains its designated uses."<ref>{{cite web|last1=McGrath |first1=Mike |title=All-America City projects: Kenai, Alaska |url=http://www.allamericacityaward.com/2011/05/03/all-america-city-projects-kenai-alaska/ |publisher=All-America City: National Civic League |access-date=August 21, 2014 |date=May 3, 2011 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110519014755/http://www.allamericacityaward.com/2011/05/03/all-america-city-projects-kenai-alaska/ |archive-date=May 19, 2011 }}</ref>

==Geography==
Kenai is located at {{coord|60|33|31|N|151|13|47|W|type:city}} (60.558738, −151.229616),<ref name="GR1">{{cite web|url=https://www.census.gov/geographies/reference-files/time-series/geo/gazetteer-files.html|publisher=[[United States Census Bureau]]|access-date=April 23, 2011|date=February 12, 2011|title=US Gazetteer files: 2010, 2000, and 1990}}</ref> on the west side of the [[Kenai Peninsula]] near the outlet of the [[Kenai River]] to the [[Cook Inlet]] of the [[Pacific Ocean]]. According to the [[United States Census Bureau]], the city has a total area of {{convert|35.5|sqmi|km2}}, of which, {{convert|29.9|sqmi|km2}} of it is land and {{convert|5.6|sqmi|km2}} of it (15.85%) is water.

===Climate===
As with much of [[Southcentral Alaska]], Kenai has a moderate dry-summer [[subarctic climate]] ([[Köppen climate classification]]: '''Dsc''') due to the cool summers. Winters are snowy, long but not particularly cold, especially considering the latitude, with January featuring a daily average temperature of {{convert|15.8|°F|1}}. Snow averages {{convert|63.6|in|cm|0}} per season, falling primarily from October through March, with some accumulation in April, and rarely in May or September. There are 37 nights of sub-{{convert|0|°F|0}} lows annually, and the area lies in [[Hardiness zone|USDA Plant Hardiness Zone]] 4,<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.arborday.org/treeinfo/ZoneInfo.cfm?ZipCode=99603&submit=Look+it+up%21|title = Arbor Day Foundation - Buy trees, rain forest friendly coffee, greeting cards that plant trees, memorials and celebrations with trees, and more}}</ref> indicating an average annual minimum in the −20 to −30&nbsp;°F (−29 to −34&nbsp;°C) range. Summers are cool due to the marine influence, with {{convert|75|°F|0}}+ highs or {{convert|55|°F|0}}+ lows being extremely rare. Extreme temperatures have ranged from {{convert|−48|°F|0}} on February 4, 1947, up to {{convert|89|°F|0}} on July 4, 2019.

{{Weather box
| collapsed =
| single line = Y
| location = [[Kenai Municipal Airport]], Alaska (1991–2020 normals,<ref>Mean monthly maxima and minima (i.e. the highest and lowest temperature readings during an entire month or year) calculated based on data at said location from 1991 to 2020.</ref> extremes 1899–present)
| Jan record high F = 49
| Feb record high F = 52
| Mar record high F = 59
| Apr record high F = 69
| May record high F = 82
| Jun record high F = 87
| Jul record high F = 89
| Aug record high F = 86
| Sep record high F = 75
| Oct record high F = 63
| Nov record high F = 59
| Dec record high F = 56
|year record high F = 89
| Jan avg record high F = 40.7
| Feb avg record high F = 41.6
| Mar avg record high F = 44.7
| Apr avg record high F = 56.3
| May avg record high F = 69.2
| Jun avg record high F = 73.7
| Jul avg record high F = 74.5
| Aug avg record high F = 73.3
| Sep avg record high F = 65.1
| Oct avg record high F = 55.4
| Nov avg record high F = 43.6
| Dec avg record high F = 40.8
|year avg record high F = 77.5
|Jan high F = 22.4
|Feb high F = 28.1
|Mar high F = 32.7
|Apr high F = 44.3
|May high F = 54.5
|Jun high F = 60.2
|Jul high F = 63.3
|Aug high F = 62.7
|Sep high F = 55.7
|Oct high F = 43.1
|Nov high F = 30.2
|Dec high F = 25.1
|year high F= 43.5
|Jan mean F = 14.9
|Feb mean F = 19.9
|Mar mean F = 23.6
|Apr mean F = 36.0
|May mean F = 45.4
|Jun mean F = 52.1
|Jul mean F = 56.0
|Aug mean F = 54.8
|Sep mean F = 47.8
|Oct mean F = 35.9
|Nov mean F = 23.2
|Dec mean F = 18.1
|year mean F= 35.6
|Jan low F = 7.4
|Feb low F = 11.6
|Mar low F = 14.4
|Apr low F = 27.7
|May low F = 36.4
|Jun low F = 44.0
|Jul low F = 48.8
|Aug low F = 46.8
|Sep low F = 39.8
|Oct low F = 28.6
|Nov low F = 16.1
|Dec low F = 11.0
|year low F= 27.7
| Jan avg record low F = -20.6
| Feb avg record low F = -13.9
| Mar avg record low F = -8.6
| Apr avg record low F = 11.4
| May avg record low F = 27.0
| Jun avg record low F = 33.7
| Jul avg record low F = 38.8
| Aug avg record low F = 34.3
| Sep avg record low F = 25.4
| Oct avg record low F = 11.6
| Nov avg record low F = -6.7
| Dec avg record low F = -14.5
|year avg record low F = -25.4
| Jan record low F = −47
| Feb record low F = −48
| Mar record low F = −41
| Apr record low F = −22
| May record low F =  12
| Jun record low F =  26
| Jul record low F =  27
| Aug record low F =  24
| Sep record low F =  -3
| Oct record low F = −12
| Nov record low F = −27
| Dec record low F = −43
|year record low F = −48
|precipitation colour = green
|Jan precipitation inch = 0.89
|Feb precipitation inch = 0.83
|Mar precipitation inch = 0.64
|Apr precipitation inch = 0.58
|May precipitation inch = 0.79
|Jun precipitation inch = 1.20
|Jul precipitation inch = 1.98
|Aug precipitation inch = 2.68
|Sep precipitation inch = 3.57
|Oct precipitation inch = 2.56
|Nov precipitation inch = 1.41
|Dec precipitation inch = 1.14
|year precipitation inch=
|Jan snow inch = 9.8
|Feb snow inch = 10.5
|Mar snow inch = 9.2
|Apr snow inch = 1.8
|May snow inch = 0.2
|Jun snow inch = 0.0
|Jul snow inch = 0.0
|Aug snow inch = 0.0
|Sep snow inch = 0.2
|Oct snow inch = 7.1
|Nov snow inch = 13.5
|Dec snow inch = 15.2
|year snow inch =

|unit precipitation days = 0.01 in
|Jan precipitation days = 8.1
|Feb precipitation days = 8.2
|Mar precipitation days = 6.0
|Apr precipitation days = 6.0
|May precipitation days = 8.0
|Jun precipitation days = 10.1
|Jul precipitation days = 12.7 
|Aug precipitation days = 14.1
|Sep precipitation days = 15.7
|Oct precipitation days = 13.2
|Nov precipitation days = 9.8
|Dec precipitation days = 10.5
|year precipitation days =
|unit snow days = 0.1 in
|Jan snow days = 7.5
|Feb snow days = 6.3
|Mar snow days = 4.8
|Apr snow days = 1.7
|May snow days = 0.1
|Jun snow days = 0.0
|Jul snow days = 0.0
|Aug snow days = 0.0
|Sep snow days = 0.1
|Oct snow days = 2.9
|Nov snow days = 7.0
|Dec snow days = 9.6
|year snow days = 40.0

|source 1 = NOAA (average snowfall/snow days 1981&ndash;2010)<ref name=NOAA>
{{cite web
|url = https://www.ncei.noaa.gov/access/services/data/v1?dataset=normals-monthly-1991-2020&stations=USW00026523&format=pdf&dataTypes=MLY-TMAX-NORMAL,MLY-TMIN-NORMAL,MLY-TAVG-NORMAL,MLY-PRCP-NORMAL,MLY-SNOW-NORMAL
|publisher = National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
|title = U.S. Climate Normals Quick Access (1991&ndash;2020)
|access-date = September 12, 2022
}}
</ref><ref>
{{cite web
|url = https://www.ncei.noaa.gov/access/services/data/v1?dataset=normals-monthly&stations=USW00026523&format=pdf&dataTypes=MLY-TMAX-NORMAL,MLY-TMIN-NORMAL,MLY-TAVG-NORMAL,MLY-PRCP-NORMAL,MLY-SNOW-NORMAL
|publisher = National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
|title = U.S. Climate Normals Quick Access (1981&ndash;2010)
|access-date = September 12, 2022
}}
</ref>
|source 2 = National Weather Service<ref name = NOWData>
{{cite web
|url = https://www.weather.gov/wrh/climate?wfo=afc
|publisher = National Weather Service
|title = NOAA Online Weather Data
|access-date = September 12, 2022
}}
</ref>
}}

==Demographics==
{{US Census population
|1880= 44
|1890= 264
|1900= 290
|1910= 250
|1920= 332
|1930= 286
|1940= 303
|1950= 321
|1960= 778
|1970= 3533
|1980= 4324
|1990= 6327
|2000= 6942
|2010= 7100
|2020= 7424
|footnote=U.S. Decennial Census<ref name="DecennialCensus">{{cite web|url=https://www.census.gov/programs-surveys/decennial-census.html|title=Census of Population and Housing|publisher=Census.gov|access-date=June 4, 2015}}</ref>
}}
Kenai first appeared on the 1880 U.S. Census as the unincorporated "Creole" (mixed Russian and Native people) village of Kenai Rédoute.<ref>{{Cite web | url=https://books.google.com/books?id=Rr9RAQAAMAAJ&q=Kenai+R%C3%A9doute&pg=PA49 |title = Geological Survey Professional Paper|year = 1949}}</ref> It was simply shortened to Kenai with the 1890 census. It was officially incorporated in 1960.

As of the [[census]] of 2020,<ref name="GR2">{{cite web|url=https://www.census.gov|publisher=[[United States Census Bureau]]|access-date=January 31, 2008|title=U.S. Census website}}</ref> there were 7,424 people, 3,143 households, and 1,788 families residing in the city. The population density was {{convert|232.2|PD/sqmi|PD/km2|sp=us|adj=off}}. There were 3,003 housing units at an average density of {{convert|100.4|/sqmi|/km2|sp=us|adj=off}}. The racial makeup of the city was 74.4% [[Race (United States Census)|White]], 0.8% [[Race (United States Census)|Black]] or [[Race (United States Census)|African American]], 12.0% [[Race (United States Census)|Native American]], 2.7% [[Race (United States Census)|Asian]], 1.3% [[Race (United States Census)|Pacific Islander]], and 6.7% from two or more races. 6.5% of the population were [[Race (United States Census)|Hispanic]] or [[Race (United States Census)|Latino]] of any race.

There were 3,143 households, out of which 40.7% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 50.5% were [[Marriage|married couples]] living together, 12.2% had a female householder with no husband present, and 31.8% were non-families. 26.3% of all households were made up of individuals, and 6.1% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.45 and the average family size was 3.20.

In the city population was spread out, with 32.8% under the age of 18, 7.7% from 18 to 24, 31.3% from 25 to 44, 21.8% from 45 to 64, and 6.4% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 32 years. For every 100 females, there were 97.7 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 96.6 males.

The median income for a household in the city was $45,962, and the median income for a family was $61,348. Males had a median income of $48,371 versus $27,112 for females. The [[per capita income]] for the city was $20,789. About 8.2% of families and 13.4% of the population were below the [[poverty line]], including 12.5% of those under age 18 and 4.2% of those age 65 or over.

==Transportation==
The main road access to Kenai is via the [[Kenai Spur Highway]], which branches off of the [[Sterling Highway]] in downtown [[Soldotna, Alaska|Soldotna]] and winds through downtown and the portions of city limits north of the [[Kenai River]].  The Warren Ames Memorial Bridge, located within city limits and the Kenai River's farthest downriver crossing, provides access to the portions of city limits south of the river and to Kalifornsky Beach Road, the latter providing an alternate access to Soldotna and the outlying road network.  Beaver Loop Road provides access to neighborhoods and parklands upriver of the bridge.

Although many fishing boats are based in Kenai, the city does not have a formal port and harbor. There are docks for offloading the catch, but commercial fishing boats are generally moored offshore in the Kenai River. The nearest deep water port is in [[Nikiski]], but is primarily reserved for use by the oil and gas extraction industry. The [[Kenai Airport]] has regularly scheduled flights to Anchorage.

==Fishing==
[[File:Mouth of the Kenai.jpg|thumb|fishing boats emerging from the Kenai River into Cook Inlet]]
In 1985, a world record largest sport-caught [[Chinook salmon|Chinook (or "king") salmon]] was taken from the [[Kenai River]], weighing in at 97&nbsp;lbs 4oz. Eight of the ten largest king salmons caught in the world have come from the same river, making the city a popular fishing tourist location.<ref>{{cite web|last1=Glassmaker|first1=Mark|title=Alaska King Salmon|url=http://www.mgfalaska.com/alaska-king-salmon/|access-date=August 21, 2014}}</ref>

The lower reaches of the Kenai River, including its mouth where it empties into [[Cook Inlet]], are within city limits.  This area is the site of a designated personal use [[dipnet]] fishery during the month of July, one of a number of such fisheries throughout various parts of Alaska, that is open annually to residents of the state. The dipnetting season and fishing limitations are set by the [[Alaska Department of Fish and Game]], and require fishermen to carry personal use fishing permits and only fish within designated regions and limits.<ref>{{cite web|title=Dipnet {{!}} The City of Kenai|url=http://www.ci.kenai.ak.us/livinghere/dipnet|website=www.ci.kenai.ak.us|access-date=October 25, 2016|archive-date=October 25, 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161025181501/http://www.ci.kenai.ak.us/livinghere/dipnet|url-status=dead}}</ref> Because the fishery is easily accessible and open to all Alaska residents, participation has grown over time, creating a significant strain on city resources as they deal with litter, fish waste, fire hazards and other issues associated with having in excess of ten thousand extra persons in the city during this period.<ref>Shedlock, Jerzy, [http://peninsulaclarion.com/news/2013-01-08/annual-dipnet-fishery-report-discussed-by-council Annual dipnet fishery report discussed by council] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161026164538/http://peninsulaclarion.com/news/2013-01-08/annual-dipnet-fishery-report-discussed-by-council |date=October 26, 2016 }} ''Peninsula Clarion'', August 1, 2013</ref><ref>Pacer, Megan, [http://peninsulaclarion.com/news/2015-07-08/law-enforcement-prepares-for-dip-net-season Law enforcement prepares for dipnet season]''Peninsula Clarion'' August 7, 2015</ref>

==Sister cities==
* {{flagdeco|JPN}} [[Akita, Akita|Akita]], Japan

==Notable people==
* [[Philip H. Ross]], U.S. Navy Rear Admiral, double Navy Cross recipient
* [[Allie Ostrander]], professional long distance runner, NCAA three-time champion

==See also==
* [[Kenai River]]
* [[Coral Seymour Ballpark]]
* ''[[Peninsula Clarion]]'', a regional paper published in Kenai
* [[Alaska Common Law School]]

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==External links==
{{Wikivoyage|Kenai}}
* {{Commons category-inline}}
* {{Official website|http://www.ci.kenai.ak.us}} of the City of Kenai

{{Kenai River system}}
{{Kenai Peninsula Borough, Alaska}}
{{Alaska}}
{{authority control}}

[[Category:Cities in Alaska]]
[[Category:Cities in Kenai Peninsula Borough, Alaska]]
[[Category:Populated coastal places in Alaska on the Pacific Ocean]]
[[Category:Populated places in Russian America]]