East Fork Lewis River, Swanson Chum Channel, One Link in Increasing Nutrients and Salmon Returns

Restoration or improvement in salmon and steelhead returns on any stream including the East Fork Lewis River are like links in a chain. Healthy links in the habitat chain include nutrient rich waters, good hiding and rearing cover, stable spawning gravel, cool deep holding pools, moderate stream temperature and oxygen levels, critical summer flow levels. The East Fork is deficient in all of the links that make a healthy river system. The Swanson Chum Channel is designed to help improve the nutrient link in the chain.

The Swanson Chum Channel spawning bed has the special upwelling groundwater conditions needed for chum. Adult chum carcasses in the past were a major nutrient source for all the other salmon species.

Chum fry leave the spawning gravel area not long after their egg sac is used up, whereas other salmon and steelhead species stay in the river, grow to juveniles, and migrate later as smolts.

In December over 800 cedar trees were planted by Clark County Corrections Juveniles and other volunteers. Hay bales were spread and new grass seed was planted on the project site and along the river last fall, has grown quickly. 100,000 chum fry will be planted in late February and early March. 10,00 additional fry will be reared at Dave Brown’s Northwest Wild Fish Rescue facility on Mill Creek and will be released in late winter.

To do all we can to make this fish restoration project successful over time, the chum channel will be continuously monitored and maintained by BPA, WA F&W, and Fish First. If successful, returns of adult chum would appear in 3 years.

This project is the result of the funding, teamwork, and support of Bonneville Power, WA F&W and Clark County Conservation; along with the highly motivated cooperation and field work between Fish First, the Swanson Family and many volunteers from various conservation and habitat groups.

Volunteers interested in restoring our rivers and helping save our endangered wild and native salmon and steelhead contact: (360) 887-0866 or (360) 597-3061

Fish First West Daybreak Stream Channel and Fish Habitat RCO Construction Grant (11-1266), Phase One.

After nearly 5 years, the design for this 3,700′ Fish First, West Daybreak Stream Channel and Fish Habitat project has been approved and is supported by Lower Columbia Fish Recovery Board.

Funding for the first phase of this project by the State Recreation and Conservation Office thru a grant of $143,900, was awarded to Fish First by the Washington Salmon Funding Recovery Board, for restoration of two spawning/rearing channels. Fish First will contribute $26,100 in cash, labor and materials for the project. This is a win for Clark County residents, the Parks Department and our wild, native, threatened and endangered salmon and steelhead.

Two spawning/rearing channels will be restored below Daybreak Bridge

West Daybreak Stream Channel & Fish Habitat Restoration Project

FOEF members were part of the team that put the project design together and FOEF is a strong advocate for the project to be funded and implemented ASAP.

Download PDF here for full article and images.

Location:
Downstream of East Fork Lewis River Below Daybreak Park Bridge off 82nd Ave. NE, and approximately half way between the city of La Center and Battle Ground WA.

Description:
About 3740 ft. of stream bank and stream channel restoration to restore balance into the channel and improve stream bank conditions and reduce bank erosion and loss.

Stream bank property is owned by private landowners on the north side of the river and by Clark County Parks & Recreation on the south side of the river (See Figure-1).

The stream channel is divided into 3 unique sections or “Reaches” to better treat the different kinds of problems in the river channel and stream banks. For safety purposes, all stream restoration treatments used are designed to minimize risk to recreationists and boaters that use this part of the river. They will be securely fastened down to insure that they will not come loose during periods of flooding.

Reach-1 is from the bridge down to where the big riffle starts and the severely eroded bend on the south side begins. It is about 1,700 ft. in length, has root wad (log treatments) on both banks to prevent erosion and provide improved fish habitat. The south side of the reach also has an old flood overflow channel. About 400 ft. of that will be dug out and covered with fastened down logs to provide habitat for juvenile fish and protect them from high summer stream temperatures.

Reach-2 is about 1,570 ft. long, begins at the riffle at the end of Reach-1 and extends around the severely eroding bend on the south side of the river. Here the vertical stream bank will be sloped back and a series of special log complex structures will be securely fastened back into the stream bank. Re-vegetation of the south bank with trees and shrubs that complement the new design for the Daybreak Regional Park will be installed.

Reach-3 is about 470 ft. long, begins at the end of Reach-2 and extends down to about the big riffle just below the big house on the south side of the river at the end of Septan Drive (commonly referred to as the Arabs House, who were the original owners) or just opposite the Clark County Roads Facility north of the river adjacent to 269th Street. Treatments using root wad logs are primarily on the north bank of the river. The south bank has a long narrow flood overflow channel with a large pool at the lower end. Similar to Reach-1 it will be cleared of sediment, and wood cover added to improve its functioning as a rearing and protected area for juvenile salmon and steelhead fish.

Benefits:
The stream bank and channel treatments will protect the land owner’s property from future flood damage, improve their current condition, while providing greatly needed fish habitat and better recreation for Daybreak Park and East Fork L. R. users. Estimated cost is $626,000.00. Grants will be the used to pay for the project construction.