By Brian Peck, U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service
As I write this at the end of October, the skies are blue and the small creeks of the Chehalis are dry or have little water. Salmon, particularly Coho, have yet to migrate into these headwater creeks where they will spawn. The Coho are stuck in the mainstem of the Chehalis, waiting for the rains to come.
Big leaf and vine maple, alder, ash, and other deciduous trees are quickly losing their colorful leaves. The leaves are accumulating in the creeks, often concealing still pools under a golden cover. Hopefully by the time you are reading this, it is nice and wet outside (too wet?) and the Coho have moved upstream and are spawning. When the Coho have spawned, the next generation of eggs, fry, and juvenile fish will find a rich food web that is partially supported by this leaf litter. In fact, there is a group of macro-invertebrates, or underwater bugs, that feed specifically on this leaf litter. They are appropriately called shredders. These macro-invertebrates will become an additional food source as the juvenile salmon grow.
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Of course another large source of stream nutrients comes from the carcasses of spawned out adult salmon. This source is particularly important because they are marine derived. That is to say that the adult salmon grew to their current large size feeding on ocean fishes such as herring. Salmon bring these ocean nutrients far inland to headwater streams. The spawned-out decomposing carcasses also provide nutrients to macro-invertebrates and aquatic plant life, which help support the rapid, healthy development of juvenile salmon.
Eagles, bear, and raccoons, along with other forest animals (and dogs too), also feed on (or roll in) salmon carcasses. [Editors note: Never let your dog eat these salmon though. They will get very sick.] These animals drag the carcass away from the stream, often far into the forest where the carcass is then partially eaten. The remaining carcass decomposes into the forest floor and provides nutrients to the surrounding trees. The trees benefit from the additional nutrients, growing faster and healthier, bringing the cycle full circle again. When next fall arrives, leaves will once again drop into the adjacent stream, meeting the arrival of spawning salmon.
Salmon have evolved within this cycle and this pulse of nutrients. The pulse occurs when water temperatures are cold and days are short, therefore limiting an overgrowth of aquatic plants, which can lead to low oxygen levels and subsequently hurt fish. The timing is perfect, occurring when salmon are vulnerable and their growth is rapid. These healthy juvenile salmon will migrate to the ocean to once again feed upon herring and grow into heavy adults.
Brian Peck is the coordinator of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service's Chehalis Fisheries Restoration Program, 360-753-9560 or brian_peck@fws.gov
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By Chad Stussy, Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife
A plan to restore the natural functions of a portion of the Satsop River floodplain was the focus of a public meeting November 14th in Montesano. The meeting was sponsored by the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife (WDFW).
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Since Spring 2001, WDFW has been working with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and the Satsop Committee, a local citizens' group, to develop a plan to reduce property damage caused by flooding and improve fish and wildlife habitat on the lower reach of the Satsop River. Once restored, the project area near the confluence of the Satsop and Chehalis rivers would be owned and maintained by WDFW, providing recreational access for the public, said Chad Stussy, WDFW watershed stewardship biologist.
"The lower reach of the Satsop River has been altered in ways that are causing problems for both people and natural resources," said Stussy, WDFW project leader. "By restoring the natural functions of the river, we believe we can reduce flood damage and improve habitat for fish and wildlife."
As a step toward achieving those goals, the Army Corps of Engineers plans to begin a study this fall that will consider such options as removing riprap along a portion of the riverbank, breaching dikes, installing engineered log jams and planting vegetation to stabilize banks along the lower river. That study, scheduled for completion next year, could open the door to federal matching funds to help fund the restoration project, said Lori Morris, project manager for the Corps. WDFW properties in the project area could count toward meeting the state's matching-fund requirement, Morris said.
Stussy noted that the Williams Pipeline Co. is currently negotiating to purchase 117.6 acres from three area landowners, and plans to donate that property to WDFW as part of a required mitigation measure for its Vail-to-Satsop gas pipeline project.
"This project is an example of how WDFW, the Corps and local citizens can work together toward common goals," said Sue Patnude, director of WDFW's regional office in Montesano. "We view this as a pilot project that could lead to other cooperative projects throughout the region."
Contact: Chad Stussy, (360) 902-8304
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By Kathy Jacobson, Chehalis Basin Education Consortium Coordinator
The Chehalis Basin Education Consortium had a busy fall. In early September, a teachers' workshop was held at Schaffer State Park in Satsop. Teachers were reacquainted with chemical water quality monitoring and with Environmental Protection Agency Streamwalk Surveys. Curt Holt, Fisheries Biologist, Washington State Department of Fish and Wildlife, talked about the diversity of salmon that the East Fork of the Satsop River supports. Dan Kincaid, Washington State Parks, also provided a short history of Schaffer State Park. Rob Schanz, Chehalis River Council, demonstrated to the teachers how to use stream flow meters to gauge stream flow.
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Later in September, a two-day ""Education for Sustainable Futures"" Seminar was held in conjunction with the Russell Family Foundation and the Center for Sustainable Futures. More than 25 classroom teachers and 20 natural resource professionals were in attendance. The goal of the workshop was to "introduce educators to learning opportunities that integrate technology while empowering students to envision and learn how they can affect the future for themselves and their communities." One teacher commented, "Sustainable education creates continual questions, is open-ended, and is related to life experiences." For teacher lesson plans and more information on "Education for Sustainable Futures," please visit the Center for Sustainable Education's website at: csf.concord.org/esf/index.cfm
Teachers and their students from Napavine to Tumwater, and from Elma to Ocosta participated in Fall water quality monitoring activities. On October 18, 2002, students from Peter G. Schmidt, Boistfort and North River schools joined an estimated 50,000 other volunteer water quality monitors from throughout the United States. The date was National Monitoring Day and the 30th Anniversary of the Clean Water Act. During their monitoring, students from Peter G. Schmidt School learned how their monitoring site, Spruce Creek connects two wetland systems (Deep Lake and Scott Lake.).
Upcoming CBEC Dates:
The Chehalis Basin Education Consortium welcomes new teachers into the program. If you are a 4th through 12th grade teacher and would like to get involved, please contact Kathy Jacobson, Coordinator, (360) 586-3538 or email Kathy at: jacfam5@aol.com
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Here are some quotations from the participants:
"On Thursday, October 24, 2002, during a twenty-minutes walk around Carlisle Lake, the Onalaska Middle School Science Club picked up 28 pounds of trash. The trash included beer cans, fishing gear, two diapers, and lots of pop cans and food wrappers. Science Club members also found a camping stool and a cooler. Most of the trash was found in areas where fishing occurred. It was generally clean in the places that were not accesible to fishing."-- Jan Lindsell, teacher.
"It looks better now that we have cleaned it."-- Josh Harris, 8th grade.
"Tis a far, far better thing to pick up trash, than to throw it on the ground." -- Laura Wilson, 7th grade.
"People who pollute the area should live in their own dump." -- Cassie Lysaker, 7th grade.
"Too many people pollute the area by throwing their trash everywhere."-- Matt Calvert, 8th grade.
"The environmental issues of Carlisle Lake are concerning. The massive amount of litter was overwhelming. We picked up large amounts of garbage because some people on Onalaska are dependent on other people to pick up their trash. Otherwise Carlisle Lake is beautiful, with beautiful trees and landscapes. Carlisle Lake would be a wonder place if people would only respect it. Please don't litter because you can harm the species that live there as well as the land."-- Felicia Peacock, 7th grade.
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By Nikki Wilson, Lewis County Conservation District
The Lewis County Conservation District would like to introduce the Conservation Reserve Enhancement Program (CREP). CREP is a joint partnership between the State of Washington and US Department of Agriculture, and is administered by the Washington State Conservation Commission and the Farm Service Agency (FSA). The agreement was signed in 1998 and provides incentives to restore and improve salmon and steelhead habitat on private land along fish bearing streams.
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The program is voluntary for landowners. The land enrolled in CREP is removed from production and grazing under 10-15 year contracts. In return, landowners plant trees and shrubs to stabilize the stream banks and provide a number of additional ecological functions. There are currently 385.6 CREP acres in Lewis County and 5,755 acres enrolled statewide.
Landowners receive annual rent, incentives, maintenance payments, and cost share for installation. These payments are made by FSA and the Conservation Commission and can result in no cost to the landowner for installation.
Staff of the Lewis County Conservation District and the Natural Resources Conservation Service work with landowners to develop and install CREP buffers.
In addition the District has funds available to provide technical and financial assistance to non-dairy farms in the upper Chehalis Watershed.
Contact the Lewis County Conservation District for a no-obligation review of your property. Nikki Wilson (360) 748-0083 ext. 112.
If you live in Thurston County, to inquire about the availability of CREP call the Thurston Conservation District, : Kim Toal, Ktoal@thurstoncd.com, Phone: 360.754.3588 x 103.
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By Ron Wisner, Grays Harbor Conservation District
The Grays Harbor Conservation District has received a grant from the Washington State Conservation Commission to improve water quality by implementing a cost share program for livestock exclusion (fencing), riparian revegetation and alternative livestock watering along the waterways of Grays Harbor County. The program allows for a maximum of 50% reimbursement of the total project cost upon project completion.
This cost share program is available to property owners of 40 acres or less who are located in unincorporated Grays Harbor County and who currently have livestock on their property or are planning on having livestock in the near future. This is a one year grant that expires on June 30, 2003, so all projects must be completed prior to that date.
Technical assistance in design work is available at no cost to the landowner through the Grays Harbor Conservation District. For more information, contact the Grays Harbor Conservation District at (360) 249-5980.
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For those who live in Thurston county, each year the Thurston Conservation District holds a native plant sale. They provide conservation grade plants at affordable prices to the public. Preorders are accepted now through January 15, 2003 for pick up February 27 - March 1st, 2003. Go to the TCD website at http://www. thurstoncd.com/html/plant_sale.html for information on available plants and to download an order form.
A Cash and Carry Event will be held on Saturday, March 1st from Noon û 4pm at their office, located at 2400 Bristol Court SW, Olympia.
If you live outside Thurston County, please check with your local Conservation District to see if they offer this service.
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By Lee Napier, Grays Harbor County, Chehalis Basin Partnership Project Manager
This month the featured accomplishment of the Chehalis Basin Partnership focuses on barrier removals, a component of the salmon recovery work authorized by the Legislators in 1999, codified in Chapter 77.85 RCW that created the Salmon Recovery Lead Entity program administered by Grays Harbor County.
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To ensure coordination of the salmon habitat restoration projects, the Lead Entity, working with a group of dedicated technical experts and citizens, created the Chehalis Basin Plan for Habitat Restoration, May 2001. This local strategy identifies the high, medium, and low priority subbasins in the Chehalis Basin and prescribes the types of actions that should occur to restore, preserve, or better understand habitat.
Annually, the Lead Entity submits, for funding consideration by the Salmon Recovery Funding Board (SRFB), a list of prioritized projects proposed by local sponsors. After three grant cycles, the Chehalis Basin project sponsors received just under $2 million for 16 projects from the SRFB.
On October 25, 2002, the Chehalis Basin Partnership approved the list of prioritized projects for funding consideration by the SRFB for the 2002 grant cycle.
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One of the success stories in the Chehalis Basin is the removal of a barrier from Singer Creek, which is located along West Boundary Road in the Satsop basin. The project replaced a 5-foot diameter blocking culvert that was elevated 2 feet above the stream with a 13-foot, fish passable culvert. According to the Project Manager Lonnie Crumley, "fish entered the project area before completion of the project." Crumley also noted that within the first year, coho, chum, steelhead, and cutthroat were observed. During spring monitoring, a huge number of juveniles were observed in the upper reaches. Barrier removal projects such as Singer Creek realize a big bang for the buck and immediate positive results.
If you are interested in the Lead Entity program for the Chehalis Basin, please contact Lee Napier, 1.800.230.1638 or Lnapier@co.grays-harbor.wa.us.
"Most of the important things in the world have been accomplished by people who have kept on trying when there seemed to be no hope at all." Dale Carnegie
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At its Annual Meeting, the Chehalis River Council named Sue Danver of Black Hills Audubon Society their Watershed Citizen of the Year. The CRC gives this award annually to an individual or group that provides outstanding leadership in the cause of protecting natural resources in the Chehalis Basin.
Sue Danver was chosen for her work in rallying opposition to a gravel pit expansion and asphalt plant near the Black River. "Sue is incredibly tenacious and proves the adage that persistence is a highly important quality in working for a cause," said Margaret Rader, chair of the CRC board of trustees. "The Black Hills Audubon Society also deserves a lot of credit for taking on this project." added Rader. Recently the Thurston County commissioners returned the asphalt plant proposal to the hearing officer for further clarification of the impact on water quality in the Black River watershed.
Last year Dave Palmer, past chairman and founder of the CRC, was named 2001 Watershed Citizen.
Sue was unable to attend the CRC's annual meeting in August, so CRC chair Margaret Rader presented an award plaque to her at a meeting of the Black Hills Audubon Society in Olympia on October 17th.
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In celebration of the Year of Clean Water, November/December is source water protection month. The EPA has suggestions for how the actions we take as individuals can really add up when it comes to protecting our water.
[Editors note: I'd like to add one for rural folks: protect your well water. Upgrade failing septic systems and work to protect our aquifers.]
For more ideas and resource materials on protecting drinking water, see www.epa.gov/safewater or call the Safe Drinking Water Hotline at 1 (800) 426- 4791. Also visit EPA 's Year of Clean Water Website at http://www.epa.gov/water/yearofcleanwater/
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We want to know how you like Drops of Water. If you send in a response, you will be entered to win!
by Art Wolfe (Photographer), Brenda Peterson. A beautiful photo-tour of the Pacific Northwest.
This is how it works. Fill out the questionnaire below, cut it out, and mail to the Chehalis River Council, 417 No. Pearl St., Centralia, WA 98531.
DON'T write your name on the survey. DO write your name and address on the outside of the envelope. The envelope only will be used for drawing for the prizes. If you win, we will contact you by mail. All entries must be received by January 31st.
Circle the answer that best expresses what you do or think:
1. I wish Drops of Water came out:
a. Every month
b. Every two months
c. Less frequently
2. When Drops of Water shows up in my newspaper (or mail), I read:
a. Almost all the articles
b. A few of the articles
c. I may glance at it
3. I like these types of articles (circle 3):
a. Wildlife in the Chehalis Basin
b. School projects and articles by school children
c. Watershed management planning
d. Local restoration projects
e. Plants and/or noxious weeds
f. Exploring the watershed
g. Water quality problems
h. State agency cleanup plans
i. Endangered species activities
j. Actions individuals can take to be better watershed stewards
k. Not interested
l. Other _______________________________
5. Drops of Water, in general:
a. speaks mostly on behalf of nature and wildlife
b. speaks mostly on behalf of people and economies
c. is balanced, speaks for all
6. Optional. your age (circle one): 6-14, 15-20, 21-35, 36-55, 55+
7. Comments:
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slight
serene
breeze
sun singing
down through
the
faded
cerulean sky
an afternoon
of summer
upon fresh
water currents
two different
generations
gliding upstream
noting
the perfect
reflection of
dignified trees
on river bends
On the occasion of her grandfather's 70th birthday.
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