By Russ Mohney, 12/14/2002
Two coho salmon found their way into China Creek in downtown Centralia Friday morning. The larger of the two fish is female and the smaller her mate.
The rains returned just in time to allow a few straggler coho salmon to find their way up China Creek to spawn.
Once home to a substantial run of large chinook, the small Centralia creek hasn't hosted more than a handful of returning fish for several years. For decades up until the 1950s, China Creek received significant runs of salmon, sea run trout, and even lamprey eels in late summer and fall. Creekside residents in less-regulated times often enjoyed a fresh fish dinner from the urban stream.
Despite tales to the contrary, the specific fish now attempting to dig their redds and lay eggs in China Creek may not have been hatched in the neighborhood, although they most certainly came from Chehalis River stocks.
During periods of stress from low water levels or unusually high temperatures, coastal salmon — and especially coho — will move from their natal creek to suitable habitat. Large numbers of late-stage coho in the Chehalis system have been denied access to such prolific spawning grounds as Scammon Creek and Coal Creek by low water, and have now reached a level of "ripeness" that will cause them to go wherever they can to dig their nests.
China Creek is probably a poor choice; the pollutant level is still quite high despite major repairs to city utility systems, and the stream suffers degradation by people throwing trash, old tires, and other junk into it. Water level in China Creek is also unreliable. Offspring of the coho attempting to spawn this week will unlikely make a successful return to the ocean next summer.
There seems little doubt that repairs to the Maple Street bridge and a general cleanup of the creek under Centralia's City Hall and adjacent structures have improved the stream, but not enough to assure a place for future generations of autumn salmon to seek.
Salmon-bearing streams inside towns and cities are becoming popular attractions for visitors and residents alike, but the rehabilitation of China Creek would almost surely require more energy — and a lot more money — than most would be willing to spend.
Russ Mohney, who describes himself as a "peasant naturalist," is a fourth-generation Lewis County outdoorsman. He has published several books and many articles nationally, and continues to write on a variety of outdoor recreation subjects. He may be reached by e-mail at russm@localaccess.com, or at P.O. Box 580, Centralia, Wash. 98531.
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