Fish die-off in Skagit Valley likely to remain a mystery
The Skagit Valley Herald reports on a fish die-off in Browns Slough. Last week, hundreds of shiner perch and some fingerling chinook were found dead near Fir Island Road: Other…
Boat ramp and trails close as restoration continues on Wiley Slough in Skagit delta
WDFW released the following press release about the Wiley Slough restoration project, in partnership with the Skagit River System Cooperative, the natural resources management arm of the Swinomish and Sauk-Suiattle tribes:
OLYMPIA – Beginning July 15, the 175-acre Headquarters Unit of the Skagit Wildlife Area will be closed to public access as crews resume work on a major estuary-restoration project at the mouth of the Skagit River.
The closed area includes the public boat ramp and the dike-top trails along the Skagit River and Wiley Slough.
Crews will be removing approximately 6,500 feet of dikes and levees, allowing tides and the river to reclaim the area south of a newly constructed setback dike that was completed earlier this year. The restoration project began in 2008, when crews installed a new, larger tidegate farther upstream on Wiley Slough. (more…)
Work resumes on Wiley Slough project in Skagit River delta
Crews have begun the next phase of construction on the Wiley Slough restoration project, which will return tidal flow to a former estuary in the Skagit River delta. The Skagit…
Cooperation Shows the Way
For years, Skagit County has been a battleground between fishermen and farmers. After a recent court victory the Swinomish Tribe is finding a way for the once warring sides to come together for the good of salmon habitat.
A few years back, the Swinomish Tribe sued Skagit County Dike District No. 22 for building tide gates without the permits they needed from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. In September, a federal judge ruled that the district had violated both the Clean Water Act and the Endangered Species Act.
With the judge’s ruling on their side, the Swinomish Tribe took the issue out of the courtroom. Instead of forcing the district to pay federal fines, the tribe suggested that the two become partners in restoring 200 acres of estuary in the Skagit delta.
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SVH: Wiley Slough’s return to nature delayed
Plans to restore Wiley Slough have been stymied by hunters’ concerns about losing a popular recreation site.
The Skagit Valley Herald (full story is available online):
CONWAY — Pressure from hunters has put the brakes on a plan to restore the Wiley Slough wildlife area to a salmon-friendly estuary. Now the state must go back to the bargaining table and find a way to please both outdoor recreation enthusiasts and salmon supporters.
SVH: Wiley Slough restoration moving forward
The Skagit Valley Herald (subscription required) had a story yesterday about plans to restore tidal flooding to Wiley Slough. The project is a partnership between Skagit River System Cooperative and…
To Save Threatened Chinook, Swinomish Tribe Prepared To Sue
Tribe files 60-day notice of intent, but still hopes negotiations can ward off a suit
LACONNER (September 11, 2003) — Seeking to protect Skagit chinook salmon, the Swinomish Tribe today notified a Skagit County Diking District of their intent to file a lawsuit under the federal Endangered Species Act and Clean Water Act. After years of attempting to find mutually acceptable solutions locally, the tribe is turning to the federal courts. “We have tried to work cooperatively with the farming community, the Governor, the county and the state, and in every instance they have turned us away,” said Brian Cladoosby, chairman of the Swinomish Indian Tribal Community.