The Yukon, the Kuskokwim, and the Copper Rivers are among the 10 largest in the United States. The Yukon River is the longest river in Alaska at 1,980 miles, and is the 3rd longest in the United States. It takes about one gallon of water to process a pound of canned salmon. There are 94 lakes in Alaska with surface areas of more than 10 square miles. The largest is Iliamna Lake with a surface area of 1,000 square miles (about the size of Rhode Island), and is the second largest fresh water lake located totally within the United States. There are more than 46 Moose Creeks, more than 60 Willow Creeks, and more than 24 Gold Creeks in Alaska.
Thousands of creeks and streams in Alaska are without names. Alaskan water comes from the most northern (Point Barrow), most western (Amatignak Island) and most eastern (Pochnoi Point) points in the United States. There have been over 70 major potential hydroelectric sites identified in Alaska capable of producing over 170 billion KWH of electricity per year. Alaskan arctic rivers experience approximately 40% more run-off than rivers in more temperate climates due to permafrost that can be up to 2,000 feet deep. Alaska glacial rivers get a "double dose" of runoff during the warmer months due to normal glacial melting and melting caused by rainfall. Ice worms do exist! These thin, less than one inch long worms, all belonging to the genus Mesenchytraeus, thrive at temperatures just above freezing on Alaska's glaciers.