Editing Nelchina, Alaska

{{Use mdy dates|date=April 2024}}
{{Infobox settlement
|official_name            = Nelchina
|native_name            = Xaz Ghae Na’
|settlement_type          = [[Census-designated place|CDP]]
|nickname                 = 
|motto                    =

<!-- Images -->
|image_skyline            = 
|imagesize                = 
|image_caption            = 
|image_flag               = 
|image_seal               =

<!-- Maps -->
||pushpin_map            = Alaska
|pushpin_label_position = left <!-- the position of the pushpin label: left, right, top, bottom, none -->
|pushpin_map_caption    = Location within the state of Alaska
|pushpin_mapsize        = 
|image_map                =  
|mapsize                  = 
|map_caption              = 
|image_map1               = 
|mapsize1                 = 
|map_caption1             =

<!-- Location -->
|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|Census Area]]
|subdivision_name2        = [[Copper River Census Area|Copper River]]
|government_footnotes     = 
|government_type          = 
|leader_title             = [[Alaska Senate|State senator]]
|leader_name              = [[Click Bishop]] ([[Republican Party (United States)|R]])
|leader_title1            = [[Alaska House of Representatives|State rep.]]
|leader_name1             = [[Mike Cronk]] (R)
|established_title        = 
|established_date         =

<!-- Area -->
|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 |access-date=October 29, 2021 |publisher=United States Census Bureau}}</ref>
|area_magnitude           = 
|area_total_km2           = 124.05
|area_land_km2            = 122.75
|area_water_km2           = 1.30
|area_total_sq_mi         = 47.90
|area_land_sq_mi          = 47.40
|area_water_sq_mi         = 0.50

<!-- Population -->
|population_as_of         = [[2020 United States census|2020]]
|population_footnotes     = 
|population_total         = 45
|population_density_km2   = 0.37
|population_density_sq_mi = 0.95

<!-- General information -->
|timezone                 = [[Alaska Time Zone|Alaska (AKST)]]
|utc_offset               = -9
|timezone_DST             = AKDT
|utc_offset_DST           = -8
|elevation_footnotes      = 
|elevation_m              = 732
|elevation_ft             = 2402
|coordinates              = {{coord|61|59|24|N|146|46|43.8|W|region:US_type:city|display=inline,title}}
|postal_code_type         = Zip Code
|postal_code              = 99588
|area_code                = [[Area code 907|907]]
|blank_name               = [[Federal Information Processing Standard|FIPS code]]
|blank_info               = 02-52915
|blank1_name              = [[Geographic Names Information System|GNIS]] feature ID
|blank1_info              = 1865559
|website                  = 
|footnotes                = 
|pop_est_as_of = 
|pop_est_footnotes = 
|population_est = 
|unit_pref = Imperial
}}
'''Nelchina''' ({{Langx|aht|Xaz Ghae Na’}}) is a [[census-designated place]] (CDP) in [[Copper River Census Area, Alaska]], United States. The population was 46 at the [[2020 United States census|2020 census]], down from 59 in 2010.<ref name="2020 Census Data">{{Cite web |title=2020 Census Data - Cities and Census Designated Places |url=https://live.laborstats.alaska.gov/cen/2020-census-data.html |access-date=December 5, 2021 |publisher=State of Alaska, Department of Labor and Workforce Development |format=Web}}</ref>

==Geography==
Nelchina appears on the Valdez D-8 on the U.S.Geological Survey Map. The elevation is 2,402 feet. Nelchina is located between Milepost 137.5 and 150.5 of the Glenn Highway, at the junction of the Little Nelchina River and Crooked Creek. It is about 30 miles west of [[Glennallen, Alaska|Glennallen]] and Mendeltna, just east of Mat-Su Borough Boundary. Nelchina is located at the Chitina Recording District.

According to the [[United States Census Bureau]], the CDP has a total area of {{convert|46.7|sqmi|km2}}, of which, {{convert|46.0|sqmi|km2}} of it is land and {{convert|0.7|sqmi|km2}} of it (1.48%) is water.

==Climate==
Nelchina is located in the [[subarctic climate|subarctic climate zone]].<ref name="koppenmap">{{Cite web |title=United States Köppen Climate Classification Map |url=https://www.plantmaps.com/koppen-climate-classification-map-united-states.php |access-date=March 29, 2024 |publisher=Plantmaps.com}}</ref> Snowshoe Lake is a weather station located nearby at an elevation of {{cvt|2312|ft}}.<ref name="snowshoelake">{{Cite web |title=Data of Meteorological Station Snowshoe Lake, Alaska |url=https://geographic.org/global_weather/alaska/snowshoe_lake_594.html |access-date=March 29, 2024 |publisher=geographic.org}}</ref> Temperature extremes range from {{Convert|-63|F|C}} to {{Convert|95|F|C}}. Snowfall averages {{Convert|46|in|cm}}, with total precipitation of {{Convert|11|in|cm}} per year.

{{Weather box
|single line = yes
|location = Snowshoe Lake, Alaska, 1981–2010 normals, 1963–2011 extremes: 2312ft (705m)
|Jan record high F = 40
|Feb record high F = 43
|Mar record high F = 57
|Apr record high F = 65
|May record high F = 77
|Jun record high F = 95
|Jul record high F = 86
|Aug record high F = 88
|Sep record high F = 74
|Oct record high F = 63
|Nov record high F = 44
|Dec record high F = 52
|year record high F =

|Jan avg record high F = 26.2
|Feb avg record high F = 32.8
|Mar avg record high F = 41.8
|Apr avg record high F = 52.8
|May avg record high F = 66.2
|Jun avg record high F = 77.6
|Jul avg record high F = 77.8
|Aug avg record high F = 74.4
|Sep avg record high F = 63.3
|Oct avg record high F = 49.7
|Nov avg record high F = 32.6
|Dec avg record high F = 31.6
|year avg record high F = 80.8

|Jan high F = 3.7
|Feb high F = 14.4
|Mar high F = 26.1
|Apr high F = 39.3
|May high F = 52.9
|Jun high F = 62.3
|Jul high F = 65.8
|Aug high F = 61.1
|Sep high F = 50.2
|Oct high F = 33.0
|Nov high F = 13.9
|Dec high F = 5.1
|year high F =

|Jan mean F = -9.3
|Feb mean F = -1.3
|Mar mean F = 6.8
|Apr mean F = 23.0
|May mean F = 39.3
|Jun mean F = 48.4
|Jul mean F = 51.9
|Aug mean F = 47.6
|Sep mean F = 37.2
|Oct mean F = 21.6
|Nov mean F = 2.4
|Dec mean F = -4.9
|year mean F =

|Jan low F = -22.3
|Feb low F = -16.9
|Mar low F = -12.6
|Apr low F = 6.7
|May low F = 25.7
|Jun low F = 34.5
|Jul low F = 38.1
|Aug low F = 34.1
|Sep low F = 24.2
|Oct low F = 10.2
|Nov low F = -9.0
|Dec low F = -15.0
|year low F =

|Jan avg record low F = -42.0
|Feb avg record low F = -39.7
|Mar avg record low F = -32.4
|Apr avg record low F = -17.3
|May avg record low F = 15.0
|Jun avg record low F = 24.5
|Jul avg record low F = 28.2
|Aug avg record low F = 22.9
|Sep avg record low F = 8.0
|Oct avg record low F = -11.2
|Nov avg record low F = -30.1
|Dec avg record low F = -37.3
|year avg record low F = -48.4

|Jan record low F = −60
|Feb record low F = −56
|Mar record low F = −53
|Apr record low F = −30
|May record low F = −10
|Jun record low F = 19
|Jul record low F = 23
|Aug record low F = 12
|Sep record low F = −13
|Oct record low F = −29
|Nov record low F = −50
|Dec record low F = −63
|year record low F =

|precipitation colour= green
|Jan precipitation inch = 0.40
|Feb precipitation inch = 0.28
|Mar precipitation inch = 0.41
|Apr precipitation inch = 0.18
|May precipitation inch = 0.51
|Jun precipitation inch = 1.93
|Jul precipitation inch = 2.18
|Aug precipitation inch = 1.43
|Sep precipitation inch = 1.15
|Oct precipitation inch = 0.85
|Nov precipitation inch = 0.70
|Dec precipitation inch = 0.96
|year precipitation inch =

|Jan snow inch = 6.2
|Feb snow inch = 4.6
|Mar snow inch = 3.9
|Apr snow inch = 2.2
|May snow inch = 1.6
|Jun snow inch = 0.0
|Jul snow inch = 0.0
|Aug snow inch = 0.0
|Sep snow inch = 1.3
|Oct snow inch = 6.2
|Nov snow inch = 8.4 
|Dec snow inch = 11.9
|year snow inch =

|unit precipitation days = 0.01 in
|Jan precipitation days = 5.4
|Feb precipitation days = 4.9
|Mar precipitation days = 3.1
|Apr precipitation days = 1.9
|May precipitation days = 4.0
|Jun precipitation days = 9.4
|Jul precipitation days = 10.5
|Aug precipitation days = 9.1
|Sep precipitation days = 6.6
|Oct precipitation days = 6.2
|Nov precipitation days = 6.0
|Dec precipitation days = 6.7
|year precipitation days =

|unit snow days = 0.1 in
|Jan snow days = 5.9
|Feb snow days = 5.1
|Mar snow days = 3.2
|Apr snow days = 1.8
|May snow days = 1.0
|Jun snow days = 0.0
|Jul snow days = 0.0
|Aug snow days = 0.0
|Sep snow days = 0.8
|Oct snow days = 4.5
|Nov snow days = 6.0
|Dec snow days = 7.2
|year snow days =

|source 1 = NOAA<ref name="NOAA1">{{Cite web |title=Snowshoe Lake, Alaska 1981-2010 Monthly Normals |url=https://www.ncei.noaa.gov/access/services/data/v1?dataset=normals-monthly&startDate=0001-01-01&endDate=9996-12-31&stations=USC00508594&format=pdf |access-date=March 29, 2024}}</ref>
|source 2 = XMACIS2 (records & 1981-2005 monthly maxima/minima)<ref name="XMACIS2">{{Cite web |title=xmACIS |url=https://xmacis.rcc-acis.org/ |access-date=March 29, 2024 |publisher=National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration}}</ref>
}}

==History==
Nelchina is an [[Ahtna language|Ahtna Athabascan]] name. Gold in the creeks draining from the [[Chugach Mountains]] brought prospectors to this area in the late 1800s. The Nelchina area offered several trails into the mountains. Nelchina was a mining settlement established in 1913. It was first reported by Theodore Chaplin in a 1915 USGS publication.

==Demographics==
{{US Census population
|2000= 71
|2010= 59
|2020= 45
|align-fn=center
|footnote=U.S. Decennial Census<ref>{{Cite web |title=U.S. Decennial Census |url=https://www.census.gov/programs-surveys/decennial-census.html |access-date=June 6, 2013 |publisher=Census.gov}}</ref>
}}
Nelchina first appeared on the 2000 U.S. Census as a census-designated place (CDP).
 
As of the census<ref name="GR2">{{Cite web |title=U.S. Census website |url=https://www.census.gov |access-date=January 31, 2008 |publisher=[[United States Census Bureau]]}}</ref> of 2000, there were 71 people, 27 households, and 20 families residing in the CDP. The population density was {{convert|1.5|PD/sqmi|PD/km2|sp=us|adj=off}}. There were 33 housing units at an average density of {{convert|0.7|/sqmi|/km2|sp=us|adj=off}}. The racial makeup of the CDP was 90.14% [[Race (United States Census)|White]], 4.23% [[Race (United States Census)|Native American]], and 5.63% from two or more races.

Of the 27 households, 25.9% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 66.7% were married couples living together, and 25.9% were non-families. 25.9% of all households were made up of individuals, and 3.7% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.63 and the average family size was 3.15.

In the CDP, the age distribution of the population shows 28.2% under the age of 18, 5.6% from 18 to 24, 19.7% from 25 to 44, 32.4% from 45 to 64, and 14.1% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 43 years. For every 100 females, there were 153.6 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 131.8 males.

The median income for a household in the CDP was $40,625, and the median income for a family was $40,625. Males had a median income of $37,917 versus $18,750 for females. The [[per capita income]] for the CDP was $10,742. There were 19.0% of families and 17.8% of the population living below the [[poverty line]], including 10.0% of under eighteens and none of those over 64.

==Education==
The [[Copper River School District]] previously operated the Lottie Sparks School in Nelchina.<ref>"[http://www.crsd.us/uploads/9/4/1/8/9418759/students_-_5000_series.pdf students_-_5000_series.pdf] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170214092646/http://www.crsd.us/uploads/9/4/1/8/9418759/students_-_5000_series.pdf |date=2017-02-14 }}." ''CRSD Policy Manual 04/98''. [[Copper River School District]]. PDF p. 41/210. Retrieved on February 14, 2017. "Lottie Sparks (Nelchina) School:"</ref>

==References==
{{Reflist}}

{{Copper River Census Area, Alaska}}

{{Authority control}}

[[Category:Census-designated places in Alaska]]
[[Category:Census-designated places in Copper River Census Area, Alaska]]
[[Category:Census-designated places in Unorganized Borough, Alaska]]
[[Category:Ahtna]]