Department of Ecology News Release - Sept. 12, 2001 01-157
OLYMPIA - Following is the Department of Ecology's (Ecology) weekly report about the status of drought conditions in Washington, assistance being provided by state agencies, and what citizens can do to conserve and share water.
Since October 2000, precipitation has ranged from 56 percent of average -- in the Columbia River basin above the Methow and in the Baker, Skagit and Nooksack basins -- to 74 percent of average in the Cedar, Snoqualmie, Skykomish and Tolt basins.
"These numbers continue to spell bad news for much of the state," said Doug McChesney, Ecology's drought coordinator. "We need significant rain and snow this fall and winter to make up for the low levels of water."
The near-term forecasts are for normal conditions for September through November.
Low water levels in many waterways are making it difficult for salmon to spawn. Low flows of water in late August in the Olympic Peninsula's Graywolf River in Clallam County trapped thousands of adult pink salmon in a stretch of river that didn't have adequate spawning habitat.
Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife (WDFW) crews piled dozens of sandbags in the Graywolf River to redirect a portion of the river's flow around an old landslide and into a small channel that the fish could reach.
Moments after the impromptu stream course was created, the fish swam through the makeshift channel and into spawning grounds.
The drought has created extremely low water levels in stretches of the north fork of the Stillaguamish River in Snohomish County, forcing spawning chinook salmon into pools of water rather than a flowing river. Some anglers were using weighted flies to intentionally snag the fish in the unusually warm, sparse water. To protect spawning chinook salmon, WDFW recently enacted a rule that keeps anglers from using weighted flies on a 30-mile stretch of the north fork of the Stillaguamish River. The rule runs through Oct. 15.
Also, the U.S. Forest Service recently put a temporary ban on rafting and boating in the north fork of the Nooksack River because low levels of water combined with boat traffic made it difficult for salmon to spawn.
Campers and kayakers are urged to avoid disturbing salmon as they try to spawn in late summer and early fall. Steve Keller WDFW's drought coordinator said that low water is putting more and more spawning salmon in plain view of campers and hikers.
"It's very important that people not bother fish while they build their gravel nests in the streams and spawn," said Keller. "Boating, swimming or playing in the water where salmon are spawning could seriously hurt the strength of future fish runs."
The agency also urges people not to build small rock dams in streams and creeks to create pools of water for swimming. This time of year, those little dams can keep salmon from reaching their spawning grounds or could destroy a salmon nest.
To reduce water demands for plants, put three to four inches of mulch on top of the soil before the fall rains.
Avoid running water continuously when hand washing dishes - turn it on and off as needed.
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