Engineering and Strategic Communications to Support Feasibility of Expanding a Critical Boat Harbour in Alaska

• Early project alignment to define shared goals, a decision-making framework and responsibilities
• Comprehensive stakeholder and community engagement to enhance transparency and build long-term trust
• Geophysical, geotechnical and bathymetric investigations to reduce risk and inform design alternatives

Built in 1964, Homer Harbor, on the north shore of Kachemak Bay in Alaska, is an economic hub, supporting commercial fishing, research vessels, tug operations, freight activity and a large recreation fleet. It also serves as a regional centre for more than 130 rural communities without a road system and plays an important role in subsistence fishing for local residents.

Over the past two decades, increased vessel size, growing moorage demand and limited space have pushed the harbour beyond capacity. In response, the City of Homer partnered with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) on a multi-year feasibility study to determine whether harbour expansion was viable. To support the city during this process, HDR was hired as the owner’s representative to help coordinate with agencies, stakeholders and the public, enabling the city to participate proactively in the study and align the project with community needs in decision-making.

Establishing Early Alignment

Our team partnered with the elected Homer City Council, the appointed Port and Harbor Advisory Commission, and Port and Harbor staff during the critical preliminary stages of the feasibility study effort by establishing alignment. Working closely with leadership from all three groups, we facilitated discussions focused on project processes, goals and responsibilities, leading to the development of an official city charter document to guide internal decision-making during the study. The document established a shared vision, mission, goals, objectives and success factors aligned with USACE criteria. It became the project’s operating manual for providing clarity and consistency.

Once the charter was in place, we collaborated with Port and Harbor staff to define detailed project needs and performance criteria that shaped expansion alternatives and guided technical investigations.

To further support city leadership during coordination meetings with USACE, we translate technical language, federal processes and acronyms into clear, shared language. This gave leaders a better understanding of key issues and the complex federal process, allowing for more informed discussions and confident decision-making throughout the process.

Prioritizing Transparency and Long-Term Trust

Any expansion of Homer Harbor affects a wide swath of residents, businesses, tribal communities and maritime users, making their input essential to the feasibility phase. Using census data, the city’s Comprehensive Plan and other resources, HDR completed a demographic and community values assessment to shape the communications approach. To support the city’s commitment to transparency and long-term trust, our strategic communications team developed a communications plan that guides engagement throughout the study and evolves as the project progresses. It outlines key messages, audiences, and team roles, and recommends how feedback is gathered, expectations are managed, and the project team engages the public.

In collaboration with city leadership and the USACE study team, we led charette-style public meetings, facilitated stakeholder discussions, and developed and maintained an interactive project website that shares updates, project history, and explanations of potential impacts and benefits. The team also supported quarterly updates for city leadership and communication around sensitive issues such as funding, cost and schedule changes. Prioritizing accountability, we implemented our comment management system SOAR — strategic outreach and reporting — to track, categorize and respond to public input.

Overseeing Coastal Engineering and Modelling

The feasibility study required detailed coastal engineering and modelling to understand how a potential harbour expansion would perform under Alaska’s unique conditions. Working alongside USACE, we involved our in-house coastal modellers familiar with the site’s extreme tides and complex hydrodynamics. Modelling locally allowed for increased collaboration, enabling Corps staff to review model iterations in person and contribute directly to the analysis.

Our team evaluated currents, eddies and flow patterns to understand how various expansion alternatives could affect navigation, sedimentation, storm surge and environmental performance. A major focus was on assessing whether a new harbour basin in what is now open water could create or exacerbate potential issues.

Supporting the effort required managing extensive surveys, including topographic and bathymetric data collection, and incorporating wave, tide and current information to accurately represent conditions. We also conducted a comprehensive geophysical and geotechnical investigation of the proposed harbour site.

By delivering these activities through work-in-kind contributions, we assisted the city in reducing its portion of a federal cost-share agreement, accelerating the project schedule, and providing critical baseline information early in the project development process.

Advancing the Study

The study is currently in the alternatives evaluation and analysis phase. A draft feasibility report is anticipated from USACE in 2026, with a final report expected in 2027.

If the study recommends moving forward, the City of Homer will determine whether to pursue capital funding and transition the effort from planning into design and construction.