Editing Cook Inlet (section)

{{Short description|Inlet from the Gulf of Alaska}}{{About|the body of water}}
{{Redirect|Tikahtnu|the shopping center|Tikahtnu Commons}}
{{Infobox body of water
| name              = Cook Inlet
| other_name        = Tikahtnu, Cungaaciq
| native_name       = {{native name list|name1=Tikahtnu|tag1=tfn|name2=Cungaaciq|tag2=ems}}
| image             = Line5068 - Flickr - NOAA Photo Library.jpg
| alt               = 
| caption           = The navigational light at the southwestern tip of Elizabeth Island demarcates the boundary between Cook Inlet and the Gulf of Alaska
| image_map               = Wpdms shdrlfi020l cook inlet with arms.jpg
| map_width         = 
| pushpin_map_caption       = Cook Inlet, showing Knik and Turnagain Arms
| map_alt           = 
| relief            = 
| label             = 
| label_position    = 
| mark              = 
| marker_size       = 
| location          = South-central [[Alaska]]
| coordinates       = {{coord|60|20|16|N|151|52|30|W|region:US_type:waterbody_scale:2000000|display=inline,title}}
| coordinates_ref   = 
| range             = 
| part_of           = 
| rivers            = [[Knik River]], [[Little Susitna River]], [[Susitna River]], [[Matanuska River]]
| length            = {{convert|180|mi}}
| width             = 
| area              = {{cvt|100,000|km2}}
| depth             = 
| drop              = 
| formed_by         = 
}}
'''Cook Inlet''' ({{langx|tfn|Tikahtnu}}; [[Sugpiaq language|Sugpiaq]]: ''Cungaaciq'') stretches {{convert|180|mi|km}} from the [[Gulf of Alaska]] to [[Anchorage, Alaska|Anchorage]] in south-central [[Alaska]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.crrel.usace.army.mil/sid/hopkins_files/Seaice/Cook_inlet.htm |title=Cook Inlet, Alaska |access-date=2007-02-03 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070611043401/http://www.crrel.usace.army.mil/sid/hopkins_files/Seaice/Cook_inlet.htm |archive-date=June 11, 2007 }}</ref> Cook Inlet branches into the [[Knik Arm]] and [[Turnagain Arm]] at its northern end, almost surrounding Anchorage.  On its southern end, it merges with [[Shelikof Strait]], Stevenson Entrance, Kennedy Entrance and Chugach Passage.<ref>{{cite web|last1=United States Coast Pilot 9|title=Coast Pilot 9 – 33rd Edition, 2015|url=http://www.nauticalcharts.noaa.gov/nsd/cpdownload.htm|website=Office of Coast Survey|publisher=page 182|access-date=28 November 2015}}</ref>

The Cook Inlet and both its arms are bodies of [[brackish water]], containing a [[turbid]] mix of ocean salt-water and freshwater runoff from the various rivers and streams. The narrow channel of the inlet funnels the tides creating very fast-moving currents, [[rip tide]]s, and occasional [[bore tide]]s.<ref name=":0">{{cite journal | url=https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S104061829900004X | doi=10.1016/S1040-6182(99)00004-X | title=Summary of Quaternary geology of the Municipality of Anchorage, Alaska | date=1999 | last1=Schmoll | first1=Henry R. | last2=Yehle | first2=Lynn A. | last3=Updike | first3=Randall G. | journal=Quaternary International | volume=60 | issue=1 | pages=3–36 | bibcode=1999QuInt..60....3S | url-access=subscription }}</ref> Cook Inlet watershed is the most populated watershed in Alaska. The [[drainage basin|watershed]] covers about {{cvt|100,000|km2}} of southern Alaska, east of the [[Aleutian Range]], south and east of the [[Alaska Range]], receiving water from its [[tributaries]], which include the [[Knik River]], the [[Little Susitna River]], the [[Susitna River|Susitna]] and [[Matanuska River|Matanuska]] [[river]]s, [[Eagle River (Cook Inlet)|Eagle River]], [[Ship Creek]], [[Resurrection Creek]], Portage Creek, [[Kenai River]], and many others. The watershed includes the drainage areas of Mt.Denali and is the collection point for the runoff from many surrounding glaciers, leading to the high turbidity and large silt deposits. Within the watershed there are several [[national park]]s and the active volcano [[Mount Redoubt (Alaska)|Mount Redoubt]], along with three other historically active [[volcano]]es.<ref>{{cite web
|url=http://www.avo.alaska.edu/volcanoes/cook_inlet.php
|title=Cook Inlet-South Central Alaska map and volcano list
|publisher=Alaska Volcano Observatory
|access-date=2007-02-03
}}</ref> Cook Inlet provides navigable access to the [[port]] of [[Anchorage, Alaska|Anchorage]] at the northern end, and to the smaller [[Homer, Alaska|Homer]] port further south. Before the growth of Anchorage, [[Knik Site|Knik]] was the destination for most marine traffic in upper Cook Inlet. Approximately 400,000 people live within the Cook Inlet watershed.