Drops
Of
Water
Issue 11 August 1997
The first people to find errors in spelling or word structure receive a free map of the Chehalis watershed. Send us an e-mail note telling us about the error.
|
|
Welcome
to the
|
Issue 11 August 1997 |
This newsletter appears monthly in 45,000 households throughout the watershed. Printing is done by The Chronicle, and distribution is by the Chronicle, the Olympia Daily Olympian, the Tenino Independent, the Rochester Sun News and the Aberdeen Daily World. This is an early edition available only to WWW users. Please send us your feedback.
The first people to find errors in spelling or word structure receive a free map of the Chehalis watershed. Send us an e-mail note telling us about the error. |
Stories of interest in this issue:
Protect Your Land from Estate Tax
Managing Urban Runoff
Dos and Don'ts Around the Home
Landscaping with Salmon
Summer on the Chehalis
Water talks underway in south Thurston County
Youth Corner
The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service's Chehalis Fisheries Restoration Program What the Project Are
This is an early electronic copy of Drops of Water. Drops of Water is distributed monthly to newspaper receiving households throughout the basin. It goes to print mid-July and will be distributed during the following week. Watch for it in the Tenino Independent, the Rochester Sun News, The Olympian, The Chronicle and the The Daily World.
The newspaper insert is funded with a grant from the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. This electronic edition is sponsored by the CRC.
Letters to the Editor, contributed articles and contributing partnerships are encouraged.
Comments via email to The Chehalis River Council
Back to CRC Home Page
Back to top or Back to home page
"There are 90 million acres of land in Montana," he said, "and over the next 15 to 20 years 30 million of those acres are going to change hands. That's because that's how much land we have that is owned by people who are of an average age of 59 1/2."
That is really remarkable, I thought. And then I thought, you know, that's not true only in Montana, it's true all over the United States. An enormous amount of private land in this country is held by people who are 55 and older. And over the next 15 to 20 years, millions of acres are going to change hands and potentially change use, depending on how landowners plan for, and don't plan for, their land's future.
With all due credit to that speaker, I don't think he realized the significance of what he had said. In New England, the average age of the woodlot owner is 65. In the Southeast, the average age of the private forestland owner is 64. I was told recently that on one particularly important stretch of scenic road outside of Lexington, Kentucky, there are 20 landowners and 18 of them are 70 or older.
In 1988, I wrote a little book called Preserving Family Lands. The message of Preserving Family Lands is simple: if you have a piece of land you care about, you may have a serious estate tax problem. That land may have become so valuable it may have to be sold to pay the estate tax. Give the one-two combination of demographics and the estate tax, millions of acres of open space, wildlife habitat, farmland, forestland, wildlife corridors, watershed, and ranchland are at risk.
There was another message in Preserving Family Lands. If you are a landowner, and if you care about preserving the quality of life in your neighborhood and your community, you also have tools for dealing with the estate tax problem. Let me give you an example of how devastating the estate tax can be, then turn to the tools to fix the problem.
Let's say that John and Mary own Rolling Hills, a beautiful country estate. A real estate developer has just offered John and Mary $3 million for Rolling Hills, with the idea of turning the estate into a 50-lot subdivision. Of course John and Mary turned the fellow down.
Let's also say that John and Mary are comfortable, with a portfolio and savings worth about $1.5 million, and that they haven't bothered to have their wills updated for some time.
Mary dies first, and she leaves the cash, the portfolio, and Rolling Hills to John. Assume there is no estate tax due at that time. John dies, and he thinks he leaves Rolling Hills and the $1.5 million to their three children.
The children, who had assumed all along that they would inherit their beloved Rolling Hills, are in for a rude awakening, because this is what happens.
In most states, the combined federal and state estate tax on the $4.5 million estate (Rolling Hills plus the other assets) is almost $2 million. Rolling Hills has to be sold to pay the estate tax, and there are two irrevocable losses. First the family will lose Rolling Hills. Second, Rolling Hills will almost certainly be paved over, bulldozed, subdivided, and relandscaped, and all of the open space will be lost forever.
In contrast, what if John and Mary had a successful family business worth $3 million? Would John and Mary and their advisors have done some sophisticated tax, financial, and legal planning to get the family business through the transfer tax system to the children? Absolutely! A whole array of entirely appropriate tools would likely be used to keep that business intact and get it to the kids.
Why haven't they done the same sort of sophisticated, aggressive, creative planning for Rolling Hills? Succession planning for the business owner is an accepted tax planning and financial planning discipline; for those of us who value open space, its' time we focus on succession planning for the landowner. Even if Congress changes the estate tax rules, landowners need to understand that good succession planning for family lands will still be necessary.
The principal tool in the private landowner's toolbox is the conservation easement, but it is not the only tool. A planning strategy may include the use of a family limited partnership, a "generation-skipping trust," and possibly annual gifts to children and grandchildren. Often, too, more sophisticated planning involves the use of other forms of tax-advantage charitable giving, including various forms of charitable trusts and family private foundations.
The purpose of this article is not to explain these tools. The purpose here is to make three points.
First, open space is threatened because of an aging population of landowners and the impact of high federal estate taxes.
Second, this is a problem that landowners can do something about and that land trusts can do something about.
Third, this is a problem that needs attention now. It is not too late for the educational process to begin, and land trusts can play an important role in that process. Awareness of these issues should force landowners to act, to do the planning, and to protect and preserve the open space that is so important to all of us.
For more information on land trusts in this area, write Chehalis River Basin Land Trust, P.O. Box 1414, Centralia, WA 98531
Copyright Stephen J. Small, 1995. Reprinted with permission from Exchanges, the journal of the Land Trust Alliance.
Back to top or Back to home page
To protect surface water and ground water quality, urban development and household activities must be guided by plans that limit runoff and reduce pollutant loadings. To this end, communities can address urban water quality problems on both a local and watershed level and garner the institutional support to help address urban runoff problems.
Increased Runoff. The porous and varied terrain of natural landscapes like forests, wetlands, and grasslands trap rainwater and snowmelt and allow it to slowly filter into the ground. Runoff tends to reach receiving waters gradually. In contrast, nonporous urban landscapes like roads, bridges, parking lots, and buildings don't let runoff slowly percolate into the ground. Water remains above the surface, accumulates, and runs off in large amounts.
Cities install storm sewer systems that quickly channel this runoff from roads and other impervious surfaces. Runoff gathers speed once it enters the storm sewer system. When it leaves the system and empties into a stream, large volumes of quickly flowing runoff erode streambanks, damage streamside vegetation, and widen stream channels. In turn, this will result in lower water depths during non-storm periods, higher than normal water levels during wet weather periods, increased sediment loads, and higher water temperatures. Native fish and other aquatic life cannot survive in urban streams severely impacted by urban runoff.
Increased Pollutant Loads. Urbanization also increases the variety and amount of pollutants transported to receiving waters. Sediment from development and new construction; oil, grease, and toxic chemicals from automobiles; nutrients and pesticides from turf management and gardening; viruses and bacteria from failing septic systems; road salts; and heavy metals are examples of pollutants generated in urban areas. Sediments and solids constitute the largest volume of pollutant loads to receiving waters in urban areas.
When runoff enters storm drains, it carries many of these pollutants with it. In older cities, this polluted runoff is often released directly into the water without any treatment. Increased pollutant loads can harm fish and wildlife populations, kill native vegetation, foul drinking water supplies, and make recreational areas unsafe.
There are two different types of laws that help control urban runoff: one focusing on urban point sources and the other focusing on urban nonpoint sources. Urban point source pollution is addressed by the National Pollution Discharge Elimination System permit program of the Clean Water Act, which regulates stormwater discharges. Urban nonpoint source pollution is covered by nonpoint source management programs developed by states, territories, and tribes under the Clean Water Act. In states and territories with coastal zones, programs to protect coastal waters from nonpoint source pollution also are required by section 6217 of the Coastal Zone Act Reauthorization Amendments.
Plans for New Development. New developments should attempt to maintain the volume of runoff at predevelopment levels by using structural controls and pollution prevention strategies. Plans for the management of runoff, sediment, toxics, and nutrients can establish guidelines to help achieve both goals. Management plans are designed to protect sensitive ecological areas, minimize land disturbances, and retain natural drainage and vegetation.
Plans for Existing Development. Controlling runoff from existing urban areas tends to be relatively expensive compared to managing runoff from new developments. However, existing urban areas can target their urban runoff control projects to make them more economical. Runoff management plans for existing areas can first identify priority pollutant reduction opportunities, then protect natural areas that help control runoff, and finally begin ecological restoration and retrofit activities to clean up degraded water bodies. Citizens can help prioritize the clean-up strategies, volunteer to become involved with restoration efforts, and help protect ecologically valuable areas.
Plans for Onsite Disposal Systems. The control of nutrient and pathogen loadings to surface waters can begin with the proper design, installation, and operation of onsite disposal systems (OSDSs). These septic systems should be situated away from open waters and sensitive resources such as wetlands and floodplains. They should also be inspected, pumped out, and repaired at regular time intervals. Household maintenance of septic systems can play a large role in preventing excessive system discharges.
Public Education. Schools can conduct education projects that teach students how to prevent pollution and keep water clean. In addition, educational outreach can target specific enterprises, such as service stations, that have opportunities to control runoff onsite. Many communities have implemented storm drain stenciling programs that discourage people from dumping trash directly into storm sewer systems.
Back to top or Back to home page
Part 1:Household Chemicals
Be aware that many chemicals commonly used around the home are toxic. Select less toxic alternatives. Use non- chemical substitutes wherever possible.
Buy chemicals only in the amount you expect to use, and apply them only as directed. More is not better.
Take unwanted household chemicals to hazardous waste collection centers; do not pour them down the drain. Pouring chemicals down the drain may disrupt your septic system or else contaminate treatment plant sludge.
Never pour unwanted chemicals on the ground. Soil cannot purify most chemicals, and they may eventually contaminate runoff.
Use low-phosphate or phosphate-free detergents.
Use water-based products whenever possible.
Leftover household pesticide? Do not indiscriminately spray pesticides, either indoors or outdoors, where a pest problem has not been identified. Dispose of excess pesticides at hazardous waste collection centers.
For more information on how you can help, contact your
State Water Quality Coordinator or Local Cooperative Extension Officer, or the CRC.
(1st in a series of 5, taken from an EPA Journal article, November/December 1991,EPA-22K-1005)
Back to top or Back to home page
Salmon don't spawn in you flower beds, but your yard may be affecting the salmon's habitat.
Good salmon stewardship can literally begin at home. Thousands of people up and down the West Coast are involved in the effort to restore the salmon's natural habitat in rivers and streams. But it is also important to remember that the water we use for everyday purposes on our own property is part of the salmon's habitat as well.
Salmon need clean water, and enough of if at the right times, in order to migrate, spawn and rear to adult stage to start the cycle again. Yet many rivers in the West run low, or even run dry, due to human demand. And many rivers are tainted by toxic chemicals that are potentially dangerous to sensitive juvenile fish.
Considering the large volumes of water that are withdrawn from rivers and streams for agriculture, industry, and direct human consumption, it can be easy to overlook the fact that decisions about home landscaping can have a significant impact on water supplies. During the summer months, for instance, 12% of a typical home's water use is wasted through over -watering the lawn. This translates into millions of gallons pumped unnecessarily from a stream or groundwater source serving even a small town.
Homeowners wishing to make a major contribution to water conservation might consider "xeriscaping" -- the use of locally adapted, drought-resistant plants that need a minimum of watering. But homeowners can make their yards more salmon-friendly with any of the following steps:
Don't over-water or over-cut your lawn. Watering heavily once a week (to a depth of about one inch ) promotes deeper root growth and is more effective than numerous light waterings. Water before 10 a.m. to reduce evaporation. Longer grass blades shade the soil and retain moisture, so set your mower blades to leave grass about three inches long.
When landscaping, buy plants that are low water-users. If you use thirsty plants, group them together for efficient watering and mulch them well. Consider water-thrifty forms of ground cover, such as juniper or heathers.
Use mulch around plants to retain moisture, and keep weeds down so they won't add to water uptake.
Always sweep sidewalks, driveways and patios, rather than hosing them down.
Avoid use of toxic chemicals and pesticides in gardening. Minimize fertilizer use. Seek out information on organic alternatives. Garden chemicals can wash away into groundwater or streams.
For more information on what you can do at home to help salmon recovery efforts in the Pacific Northwest, please contact your local watershed restoration group, soil and water conservation district, or Pacific States Marine Fisheries Commission, 45 SE 82nd Dr., Suite 100, Gladstone, OR 97027-2522.
Back to top or Back to home page
For people, the summer weather is pleasant and easy - kids run barefoot in T-shirts, families camp in the forest and splash in the water. But for the Chehalis River, summer is a harsh and difficult time.
Pumps pull water from the channel for irrigation and stock watering. The water table drops as wells and roots draw on the waters stored in the ground. Very little is left to run through the tributaries into the River and out to the sea.
Where trees grow thick along the stream and river banks, the shade helps the water to stay cool. But where the banks are bare, the sun heats the air, the water, and the channel bottom, and the water gets warmer. In these areas, the fish and other creatures that love cool water are driven to whatever shelter is available, or perish in the heat.
With the warming of the water and decreased flow of the streams and rivers in the Chehalis Basin other problems appear. As the water warms, it carries less oxygen. Unless a riffle or rapids churns the water, oxygen moves from the air to the water poorly. Thus, slow, warm stream and river stretches are easily robbed of oxygen and regain the oxygen only very slowly. As the summer progresses through July into August, oxygen in the waters of the Chehalis River and its tributaries reaches its lowest levels as flows drop and temperatures peak.
The long days and warm temperatures also stimulate the growth of plants and algae in the water. In the slow, open, lake-like stretches of the Centralia Reach and middle portion of the Black River, microscopic floating plants called phytoplankton flourish. Where the channels are sunny and shallow, aquatic plants and attached algae grow. On clear days these plants produce excess oxygen, but at night they continue to breathe oxygen, as all living creatures do. This can make poor oxygen levels worse, driving them down to a minimum in the early morning. If pollutants that enter the river are high in nutrients, the phytoplankton, aquatic plants, and attached algae may bloom, resulting in large growths that may create a nuisance and drive early morning oxygen levels even lower.
The Black River and certain stretches of the Chehalis River have probably always had relatively poor water quality in the summer due to slow flows, summer heat, wetlands, and other natural conditions. Anywhere that human activities add oxygen-demanding or nutrient- rich waste materials to these stretches of the Chehalis or its tributaries, oxygen levels in the water that were naturally low are driven down even more.
These waste materials can come from many different sources. "Point sources" are concentrated sources such as a municipal sewage treatment plant, an industrial wastewater discharge, or a concentrated animal rearing operation. "Nonpoint sources" come from diffuse sources such as storm water, ground water, livestock range operations, or onsite septic systems.
Cattle may be raised in operations of all different sizes, from a few animals raised by a family to a large commercial dairy. The largest dairy farms may have hundreds of animals, and with those animals comes tons of manure. If poorly handled, this waste could reach the streams and rivers, where the fish would be suffocated, stream life poisoned by toxic ammonia, and the bottom smothered in muck. Manure on the bottom could continue to rob oxygen and release ammonia and other nutrients for years.
Where cattle can reach the water, the banks are beaten bare and the water muddied. The cattle leave their manure in the stream, where it remains to decay and rob the stream of oxygen. When fisheries staff from the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service walked the basin in 1992, they found signs of this problem in almost every creek and river they examined.
Food processing companies use fields along the Chehalis to grow crops with their wastewater, and most dairies use their manure on fields as a fertilizer. The waste must be put on the fields at the right amount for the plants, or the excess will flow down to the ground water or over the surface to the nearest stream. If the field is right next to a stream or river, the excess waste in the ground water may quickly reach the stream.
Wastewater from city sewers or from industrial operations continues to flow to treatment plants day and night, where pollutants are reduced before discharge to the river. Although treated to levels set by national standards, pollutants still remain in the wastewater that the river must assimilate.
Every so often a summer downpour hits the Chehalis Basin. Where the ground is hard and bare, or on paved areas, the water runs quickly off into drains and channels, and on to the streams and rivers. This stormwater can carry with it pollutants from whatever wastes are laying on the ground - livestock and pet manure, fertilizer, trash, or yard waste. A slug of this polluted stormwater may hit the river during the storm, and a day later when the good weather returns, it is still in the river moving downstream, full of bacteria and using up oxygen.
In the Centralia Reach, the Chehalis River feels the problems of summer the worst. Here, the river becomes very wide and meandering, almost like a long, narrow lake. The City of Chehalis and Darigold release their treated wastewater here, which mixes slowly into the river as it moves downstream. At bends in the river deep pools have formed. Here cold water lies trapped at the bottom, while the warmer water flows over the top. Salzer Creek enters, itself depleted of oxygen and full of pollutants. Ground water seeps into the river which may carry pollutants from a number of sources such as a dairy, a landfill, or a field where wastewater is being spread.
In the deep pools, oxygen from the surface barely penetrates the upper layer of warmer water, and the sediments use up what little oxygen is present. In these pools, oxygen disappears, and the chemistry of the water is transformed. Hydrogen sulfide is formed, with its characteristic "rotten-egg" smell; although unpleasant to the nose, it is toxic to fish. The lack of oxygen also allows ammonia and phosphorus to enter the water at high levels. The bottom of these pools are areas completely hostile to fish and most other aquatic life.
In the surface waters of the Centralia Reach, oxygen drops to its lowest levels. Temperatures at the surface soar in the wide unshaded stretches, reaching levels near the surface that are almost too high for a salmon to survive. Any salmon trying to move upstream, as they begin to do in late August, will be forced to move through a narrow layer between the hot surface waters and oxygen-starved bottom waters. Salmon juveniles that might otherwise enjoy the quiet waters of the Centralia Reach are absent due to the harsh conditions, and the only resident fish are squawfish or other warm-water fishes.
In the long, hot days of summer, the Chehalis River is the most sensitive. Burdened with low flows, high temperatures, and oxygen-demanding pollutants the river teeters on the edge of disaster. An accidental spill or unlucky combination of problems can send it over the edge, knocking oxygen down to zero, releasing toxic ammonia, and leaving behind dead salmon and other aquatic creatures. The fish kill of August 1989 showed this to be true.
[Beginning in 1990, the Department of Ecology studied the Upper Chehalis River basin as part of the Chehalis Total Maximum Daily Load (TMDL) project. In a series of articles, Ecology researcher Paul Pickett explored the Chehalis River as discovered through the TMDL study.]
Back to top or Back to home page
Residents of south county have experienced two very different kinds of flooding over the past few years: flooding from high water tables and flooding from overflowing rivers and streams. The causes and effects of these types of flooding are very different.
In some areas of south county, the land is like a large flat sponge. This sponge works great in holding onto water from rainfall and slowly releasing it during the year to streams and aquifers. However, if the area receives above average rainfall two to three years in a row, this sponge becomes saturated, unable to absorb more rainfall. Water begins to pool at or above the surface causing flooding of homes, businesses, roads, and farm fields. A review of rainfall records of the past 50 years shows Thurston County gets back-to-back years of above average rainfall about every twenty years or so. These periods of above average rainfall coincide with information about high water table flooding from longtime residents of the area. Back-to-back years of heavy rains were to blame for high water-table flooding in 1971/72 and, most recently in 1996 and 1997.
During the past 100 hundred years, farmers and other landowner dug ditches into this sponge to help drain off the water faster so they could get into their fields earlier in the growing season. For the most part these ditches worked to move the water off the fields earlier in the year, however they did not prevent flooding altogether. For better or worse, many of these farm fields became subdivisions over the last twenty years during periods of below normal rainfall. During this same time period the one time farm ditches became overgrown with vegetation, and in some cases filled in during home construction or road building.
Other areas of south county are within the flood plains of major rivers and streams. Most residents of these areas have not been surprised by the flooding, but have been surprised by the frequency of flooding and the major streambank erosion that has taken acres and acres of land.
So what should Thurston County government do about these problems? Just as water surfaces, so do people's attitudes about potential government solutions. Opinions range from property-rights advocates, who want the county to step aside entirely, to others who support an aggressive stance in regulating growth and development. Some people think the county should take a "buyer beware" stance and hold people accountable for their own decisions. Others want a more protective role to stop people from building in high water table or "big flat sponge" areas. Others want the county to drain the "big flat sponge" areas entirely.
Regardless of where they fall on the political spectrum, many people share a common question: "Why did Thurston County allow us to build here in the first place?" The answer, in part, is that the county lacked the legal tools to control the location of development. Many of the residential subdivisions experiencing "high water table" and river flooding were created prior to the adoption of county zoning. Another problem is that these flood-prone areas are not easily identified. Federal flood plain maps done in the early 1980's have been found to be off by 20 to 50 percent. And there are no maps which show the boundaries of the "big flat sponge". In 1981 when the county did adopt zoning, planners raised concerns of the potential for flooding problems in the "flat sponge areas", but not enough information was available to verify the specific areas of concern. It wasn't until recently, with the adoption of the growth management regulations, that the county had land use laws in place that would have prevented development in the river flood plain areas.
Interestingly, federal soil surveys show in general that the "flat sponge" areas are subject to seasonally high water tables, but the surveys are not useful for site-specific building conditions, and cannot be used on their own to deny a subdivision or building permit. In order to determine the suitability of particular building sites, site-specific soil analyses are done to find evidence that the soil is subject to seasonal high water. However, the infrequent nature of flooding and the soil characteristics mean the soils in these areas often lack telltale clues which indicate they are subject to flooding.
Thurston County is working to tackle these flood problems in the south county area. Infrared photos taken this winter are providing the county with "hard" data about flood-prone areas, and the county is examining ways to improve development regulations and warn potential homeowners about potential high water table and river flooding.
To guide their decisions on water problems, Thurston County commissioners have decided to apply a "litmus" test:
þWhat are the feasible technical solutions to the problem?
þAre there any downstream, off-site impacts from the solutions?
þWhat is the authorization for county involvement?
þCan the county justify the use of public funds for the solution and can only certain funds be used?
In addition, the commissioners appointed a 21-member group of local residents to assess people's views about water issues. The mission of the "South Thurston County Water Focus Group" is to identify which problems people feel the county should resolve, and how the county should pay for those actions.
The focus group meetings held so far have yielded a good exchange of ideas. For example, at the meeting of residents in the Scatter Creek Subbasin, a local riverside resident suggested the county get back in the river gravel business by developing a bar-scalping program along the Chehalis near his property-- "this would help clear the river channel and make money for the county". But a focus group member with experience in these areas pointed out that this approach could backfire creating more, not less, erosion. Others have suggested Thurston County lower road culverts, clean out ditches and work in concert with Lewis County to find answers.
The focus group will present its findings at regional town hall meetings before reporting to Thurston County Commissioners. These events will offer residents who have missed earlier meetings another chance to share their views. The town hall events are scheduled for 7 to 9 p.m. on
September 11, September 18 and September 25 (all Thursdays). Locations will be announced. Readers who want more information should contact the county at (360) 357-2491.
Like water itself, solutions to water problems can be hard to grasp. However, the county will continue to seek solutions to the challenges facing the residents of south Thurston County.
Back to top or Back to home page
Complete these sentences. The complete sentence is in this issue. The answers are below if you need them.
1. The principal tool in the private landowner's toolbox is the conservation easement, ______.
2. During the summer months, for instance, 12% of a typical home's water use is ______.
3. Federal flood plain maps done in the early 1980's have been found ______.
4. Back-to-back years of heavy rains were to blame for high water-table flooding in 1971/72 ______.
5. Urbanization also increases the variety and amount of ______.
6. Citizens can help prioritize the clean-up strategies, volunteer to become involved with ______.
7. Take unwanted household chemicals to hazardous waste collection centers; ______.
8. With the warming of the water and decreased flow of the streams and rivers in the Chehalis Basin ______
9. Where cattle can reach the water, the banks ______.
10. Salmon juveniles that might otherwise enjoy the quiet waters of the Centralia Reach are absent due to the harsh conditions, and ______
11. The bottom of these pools are areas completely ____.
12. Where the ground is hard and bare, or on paved areas, the water ______.
1. but it is not the only tool.
2. wasted through over -watering the lawn.
3. to be off by 20 to 50 percent.
4. and, most recently in 1996 and 1997.
5. pollutants transported to receiving waters.
6. restoration efforts, and help protect ecologically valuable areas.
7. do not pour them down the drain.
8. other problems appear.
9. are beaten bare and the water muddied.
10. the only resident fish are squawfish or other warm-water fishes.
11. hostile to fish and most other aquatic life.
12. runs quickly off into drains and channels, and on to the streams and rivers.
Back to top or Back to home page
The following is a list of our new 1997 projects. The list includes a brief description of the project, and the name of the group ("Cooperator") who will carry out the project. Most of the projects will be completed this summer, but some will begin in the fall and carry over into 1998.
Cooperator: Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife
Description: This project will provide juvenile and adult salmon passage past a small private dam. There are approximately 2.4 miles of spawning and rearing habitat above the dam.
Cooperator: Lewis Conservation District
Description: The lower 2000 feet of Coal Creek will be revegetated with native riparian trees and shrubs. Reed canary grass (an invasive pest plant) will be controlled by scalping, installing ground cover matting, and active maintenance until the native plants become established.
Cooperator: Lewis Conservation District
Description: 2100 feet of Salzer Creek will also be revegetated with native riparian trees and shrubs in the same manner as the above Coal Creek project.
Cooperator: Lewis Conservation District
Description: This project will include 1,000 feet of fencing to exclude cows from the stream, and revegetation of streamside areas denuded by livestock.
Cooperator: Washington Trout/Streamline Consultants
Description: The objective of this project is to analyze streams and seek to upgrade stream type classification to provide better protection for riparian buffers under forest practice regulations. The cooperators will also analyze previously unexamined culverts for fish passage and provide recommendations and background information for future culvert passage projects.
Cooperator: Chehalis River Council
Description: We are contributing approximately six months of funding for THIS newsletter, which reaches 45,000 households in the Chehalis River Basin. We are still seeking a source of funding to continue Drops of Water for the full year. Any takers?
Cooperator: The Confederated Tribes of the Chehalis and the Washington Department of Ecology.
Description: The cooperators will continue monitoring of water quality associated with habitat restoration projects in the Chehalis River Basin.
Cooperator: Grays Harbor Conservation District
Description: This project will include 8,000 feet of fencing to exclude cows from the stream, and revegetation of streamside areas denuded by livestock.
Cooperator: Grays Harbor Conservation District
Description: This project involves two landowners, and includes 11,000 feet of fencing to exclude livestock from the river and an off-channel pond. Riparian vegetation will be planted where denuded by livestock.
Cooperator: Mason Conservation District
Description: This project is a continuation of fencing and revegetation on this landowner's property. The new portion of the project will consist of approximately 3,000 feet of fencing.
Cooperator: Lewis County Noxious Weed Control Board and the Confederated Tribes of the Chehalis.
Description: Parrotfeather is an exotic weed that can quickly spread to choke out native fish habitat. It has recently spread to the Chehalis River. Control of spot populations will be achieved by mechanical and manual means, and public education efforts will help prevent further spread of the weed. Water quality monitoring will also be conducted to assess the weed's impact in areas of dense growth.
Cooperator: Thurston Conservation District/GREEN
Description: This project includes monitoring of riparian revegetation success and help with maintaining existing revegetation projects. High school students, funded by the Private Industry Council, will provide the data collection and labor. We are providing funds for the crew leader's salary and training, and equipment. The project also includes classroom activities and training for the students.
Cooperator: Aquatic Restoration Consultants
Description: This project will provide the necessary information that will allow us to focus the Chehalis Fisheries Restoration Program on a watershed level (see last month's Drops of Water article). The project will also provide an independent evaluation of our performance to date, and gather information that will allow for more efficient project monitoring.
Cooperator: Washington Department of Natural Resources
Description: This project will provide 500 feet of livestock fencing, 0.6 acres of riparian planting and 15 large whole tree habitat structures to improve the juvenile salmon rearing capacity in this stream.
Cooperator: Streamline Consultants
Description: This project will provide improved passage to about 1 mile of high quality spawning and rearing habitat for coho salmon and sea-run cutthroat trout. The railroad grade culvert will be removed and a meander channel will be created.
Cooperator: Columbia Pacific RC&D and the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife
Description: This project will create improved passage through a culvert at the mouth of a tributary to the Wynoochee River.
Cooperator: Columbia Pacific RC&D
Description: Sites on the Humptulips and Wishkah Rivers will be treated with a variety of instream habitat placement techniques. We will also conduct an evaluation of structures built with unanchored logs.
Cooperator: Chehalis Basin Fisheries Task Force and Long Live The Kings
Description: This project will provide an access channel to an existing created pond for wild juvenile coho salmon rearing.
For more information please call Mike Kelly of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service's Chehalis Fisheries Restoration Program at 360-753-9560.