Topography and Geology
The Hoquiam River consists of three forks, which drain approximately 98 square miles. Its upland soils are principally in the Hoquiam-LeBar series, which formed on glacial moraines resulting from the last glacial periods. These soils are typically characterized as clayish. Agriculture has been limited by the high water retention and relatively low fertility of its soils.
The river drainage was originally covered by conifer forests; principal species being western hemlock, Sitka spruce, and western red cedar. Logging began early in the Hoquiam drainage because of its access to tidewater and relatively gently rolling hills. The soils accumulated under forest cover over the centuries were deep and rich in organic matter. The decay of organic matter causes the formation of various acids. These acids in solution cause a gradual leaching process, so that basic elements are leached out of the soil. Some are washed downstream, but most are assimilated into the live biomass of the forest. The continual deposition of material from the forest canopy to the forest floor is a gradual, self-renewing process (Franklin, 1981).
One additional characteristic of the Hoquiam watershed is worth note. Between Big Creek, a tributary of the Hoquiam, and the Humptulips drainage is an area known as Axford Prairie. This glacial gravel outwash was one of the primordial openings in the dense native forest, burned annually by natives to produce natural pasturage. Seasonally very dry to waterlogged, Axford Prairie has a substantial lodgepole pine community, and is typical of a number of such prairies on the western and southern edges of the Olympic peninsula.
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Climate information for this subbasin is presented in the basin overview section of the Watershed Characterization report.
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Using 1990 U.S. Bureau of Census data and maps for the area, and relating census block numbers to the watershed boundary of the Hoquiam Basin, the subbasin population appears to be 11,000.
Based upon an average for the entire Chehalis River Basin of 2.29 people per household, there are close to 4,800 households in this subbasin.
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The City of Hoquiam owns a 7,500-acre municipal watershed, with reservoirs on Davis Creek and the West Fork of the Hoquiam. These reservoirs experience regular siltation, reducing water storage capacity and water quality. Historically, the city has drained and removed silt from the reservoirs every other year. In July 1987, this operation resulted in a condition of high turbidity and low dissolved oxygen, causing a fish kill of over 28,000 fish and resulting in a citation and fine by the Department of Ecology. The City of Hoquiam is redirecting its efforts to assure water quality through a combination of technical improvements and development of better terrestrial resource management. A proposed management plan following the model of the Timber/Fish/Wildlife process offers the possibility for increased public involvement and a dynamic management process.
A minimum flow of 6.1 cfs was recorded in October 1942 (USGS, 1992). No records for maximum or average flows are available.
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Based upon projections from the Washington State Office of Financial Management, Forecasting Division (OFM, 1992), the entire Chehalis River Basin is experiencing growth. Using data from the three major counties (Thurston, Lewis, and Grays Harbor) this growth rate between now and the year 2000 could be 2.7% (low), 26% (high), or 11% (average).
Applying these figures to today's population and housing units results in the following estimates for the Hoquiam Basin:
By the year 2010, the growth rate could be 6.1% (low), 53% (high), or 23% (average).
While this subbasin has not experienced high or even average growth rates, high rates of growth in nearby population centers are encouraging residential development in rural areas. This spillover effect could cause growth to exceed traditional norms.
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Plant ecologists have designated several different vegetation zones in the Chehalis Basin. The Humptulips, Wishkah, and Hoquiam, rivers fit into the Sitka Spruce zone, where the best timber-growing sites of the Douglas fir region are found. The Douglas fir region is considered to be one of the most biomass-productive zones in the world, thus making the western Chehalis sub-watersheds truly world-class areas for forestry and natural forest formation. Most of the natural second-growth timber has now been logged. Planted timber, principally Douglas fir is beginning to be cut, and nearly all reforestation efforts until recently have been to establish selected Douglas-fir plantations. Timberland managers such as ITT Rayonier the largest landowner in the Hoquiam watershed, are now planting other adapted species as well, such as red cedar. Sitka spruce, and western hemlock on appropriate sites.
The Hoquiam provides spawning and rearing habitat for coho salmon (Oncorhynchus Kisutch ), fall Chinook salmon (O. tshawytscha ), steelhead trout (Salmon gairdinerii ), and sea run cutthroat (Salmon clarkii ).
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Water quality plans for this subbasin are reviewed in the basin-wide overview section of the Chehalis River Basin Characterization and the Water Quality Assessment.
Back to top or back to Action Plan home page or back to Action Plan Vol II Index Revised and corrected, April 2000 -
1990 Pop. in 2000 Units in 2000
Pop. Units low hi avg low hi avg
11000 4800 11297 13860 12210 4930 6048 5328
1990 Pop. in 2010 Units in 2010
Pop. Units low hi avg low hi avg
11000 4800 11671 16830 13530 5093 7344 5904