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Read more about the article Jamestown S’Klallam reconnects creek to strait to save fish
Jamestown S'Klallam tribal staff dig out a channel in a sandbar that is blocking the flow of Seibert Creek to the Strait of Juan de Fuca due to low water flow.

Jamestown S’Klallam reconnects creek to strait to save fish

Jamestown S'Klallam tribal staff dig out a channel in a sandbar that is blocking the flow of Seibert Creek to the Strait of Juan de Fuca due to low water flow.
Jamestown S’Klallam tribal staff dig out a channel in a sandbar that is blocking the flow of Siebert Creek to the Strait of Juan de Fuca due to low water flow.

The Jamestown S’Klallam Tribe is starting to see the effects of this year’s predicted low water flow in the Dungeness River Valley much sooner than anticipated.

Tribal natural resources staff discovered this week that the mouth of Siebert Creek had been cut off by a sandbar – a typical problem with the creek during a low water year.

But this year’s low flows are more severe than usual due to the record-low snowpack in the Olympic Mountains.

“We never consider low flows in the spring because we typically have more water coming down the creeks,” said Chris Burns, Jamestown natural resources technician. “But when McDonald Creek started looking really skinny, I started getting really worried and checked Siebert. (more…)

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Stillaguamish Tribe sponsors salmon habitat restoration on Cherokee Creek

cherokee creek
Coho salmon swim in newly restored habitat in Cherokee Creek.

The Stillaguamish Tribe recently partnered with the state Department of Natural Resources Family Forest Fish Passage Program to restore access to Cherokee Creek, near Darrington.

Cherokee Creek provides spawning, rearing and refuge for coho and other species of Pacific salmon, as well as cutthroat and bull trout. However, the creek also was home to a deteriorating metal culvert that had been poorly installed and was too small to withstand floods.

“The culvert had created an artificial waterfall that was too high for salmon to swim or jump past on their way upstream,” said Scott Rockwell, Forest and Fish biologist for the tribe. “It was also interfering with natural stream ecology, interrupting the downstream movement of water, fallen trees and gravel.” (more…)

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Tulalip Tribes release record number of coho

Hatchery salmon are collected from a holding pond before having their adipose fins clipped in NWIFC’s automatic tagging trailer.

The Tulalip Tribes’ Bernie Kai-Kai Gobin Salmon Hatchery released a record number of coho salmon this year, thanks to rearing improvements that led to a high survival rate.

In June, tribal hatchery staff released 1.3 million coho smolts from brood year 2010. This brings the total number of hatchery salmon released this year to 12 million, including brood year 2011 chinook and chum.

“We have made slight changes to the way we do things as far as fertilizing and handling of eggs,” said Jesse Rude, assistant manager of the hatchery. “Our survival rates have gone from around 80 to 85 percent up to 95 percent.” (more…)

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