Alaska News

JBER plans blast testing this week

It's about to get loud in Eagle River.

According to officials with Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson, the base plans controlled detonations on the Eagle River Flats July 17-19 in order to test sound levels in the area.

"Residents in and around JBER and Eagle River may hear loud noises created by life-firing of high-explosive munitions as these test are conducted in support of data collection as part of a scientific acoustic study," reads a press release issued Monday.

[For some in Anchorage, it's been the summer of airplane noise. But just wait until next year.]

The testing will take place between 8 a.m. and 4 p.m. each day, with July 20 scheduled as a make-up day. During those times, residents can expect to hear intermittent explosions coming from the base. Depending on weather, the base said the detonations could be heard as far away as Wasilla.

The testing is being done "to measure sound levels within Knik Arm and the Eagle River Flats waterways," the release said.

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