Beluga, Alaska facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Beluga, Alaska
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Beluga Whale, for which the village and river were named for
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 Beluga, Alaska
Location in Alaska
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| Country | United States |
| State | Alaska |
| Borough | Kenai Peninsula |
| Area | |
| • Total | 99.84 sq mi (258.58 km2) |
| • Land | 99.13 sq mi (256.74 km2) |
| • Water | 0.71 sq mi (1.84 km2) |
| Elevation | 112 ft (34 m) |
| Population
(2020)
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| • Total | 34 |
| • Density | 0.34/sq mi (0.13/km2) |
| Time zone | UTC-9 (Alaska (AKST)) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC-8 (AKDT) |
| ZIP code |
99695
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| Area code(s) | 907 |
| FIPS code | 02-06245 |
| GNIS feature ID | 1865548 |
Beluga is a small community in Alaska, United States. It is known as a census-designated place (CDP). This means it is a special area set up by the government for counting people. Beluga is located in the Kenai Peninsula Borough.
In 2010, 20 people lived here. By 2020, the population grew to 34 people.
Contents
Where is Beluga Located?
Beluga is in the northern part of the Kenai Peninsula Borough. It sits on the northwest side of Cook Inlet. This area is on the main Alaskan land, not on the Kenai Peninsula itself.
To the north, Beluga borders the Matanuska-Susitna Borough. To the south, it is next to the Tyonek community. You can only get to Beluga by air or by boat. There are no major roads connecting it to other towns.
Land and Water Around Beluga
Beluga covers about 261 square kilometers (101 square miles). Most of this area, about 259 square kilometers (100 square miles), is land. The rest, about 1.9 square kilometers (0.72 square miles), is water.
The Chuitna River forms the southern border of Beluga. The Beluga River flows through the northern part of the area.
Who Lives in Beluga?
Beluga was first counted as a census-designated place in the year 2000.
| Historical population | |||
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| Census | Pop. | %± | |
| 2000 | 32 | — | |
| 2010 | 20 | −37.5% | |
| 2020 | 34 | 70.0% | |
| U.S. Decennial Census | |||
In 2000, there were 32 people living in Beluga. About 75% of the people were White, and 25% were Native American.
Beluga has a small general store. It also has the Chugach Electric power plant. This plant is very important because it provides power for about half of Anchorage. The plant uses natural gas found right there to create electricity.
Fishing in Beluga
Fishing is a big part of life in Beluga. There are three main rivers where people fish.
- The Beluga River in the north has king salmon, silver salmon, and sockeye salmon.
- The Chuitna River in the south has king salmon and silver salmon.
- Three Mile Creek in the middle has silver salmon.
Two other rivers, the Theodore and the Lewis, are also nearby. Both of these rivers have king salmon and silver salmon.
There are many freshwater lakes in the Beluga area. People have caught very large fish here. One record pike caught while ice fishing was 49 inches long!
Many people also fish from the shore using nets to make a living. This is called "set net fishing." A good day's catch can be around 100 salmon.
See also
- In Spanish: Beluga (Alaska) para niños
