Fish Habitat

Hoh Solution Good For Tribe, River, Fish

The Hoh Tribe and the Hoh River are connected by a bond that can never be broken. Forever, as the river moved, so did the tribe.

But that came to a stop after treaty times, when the tribe was confined to a 640-acre reservation at the river’s mouth. Over the years the Hoh River has whittled the reservation to about 450 acres and much of the land floods every year.

A study of the river’s migrating main channel shows the Hoh is likely to again come barreling through the tribal center and many homes within the next 25 years. Flooding has already become an annual event in these low-lying areas.

The Hoh Tribe had a choice. Build expensive dikes or other structures – which can protect the riverbank but hurt fish habitat – or move out of harm’s way.
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Healing of Hyas Creek From 1951 Fire Gets a Boost From Cooperative Effort

"There are only two anadromous fish-bearing tributaries in that portion of the South Fork Calawah drainage and Hyas Creek is one of them," said Phil DeCillis, fisheries biologist for USFS. "It had the least amount of wood per mile of the streams we surveyed, so it was important to get more in there. The tributaries are important refuge areas for fish."

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Tidelands as a Classroom

Skokomish (June 6, 2008) – Since earthen dikes were breached last fall on the Skokomish tidelands, Alex Gouley has been a busy man.

The Skokomish Tribe’s habitat division manager has not only been working on the next phase to restore the 300-acre estuary back into a natural salt march area that is good for fish habitat, he’s also been teaching others about the importance of this effort.

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Lummis object to bay cleanup plans

The Bellingham Herald reports that the Lummi Nation opposes the Port of Bellingham’s plan to leave some mercury in Bellingham Bay and build a marina:

Mercury-tainted sediment now inside the lagoon will be removed for landfill disposal, as will some of the more contaminated areas at the mouth of the waterway, where the dredging will add water depth to accommodate ships at the port’s marine terminal.

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Swinomish hope for biodiesel from sunflowers

The Skagit Valley Herald has a story about the Skagit River System Cooperative’s study of saltwater intrusion on farms and the potential for growing crops that can be used in biodiesel production:

First, it’s a long-term study of saltwater intrusion on the crops and ways farmers can avoid it without compromising fish habitat.

Second, it’s a test to explore a crop that could figure in the local economy — particularly in the realm of growing biodiesel usage in Skagit County.

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Fish Habitat Improved On Hoh River Tributary

HOH RIVER WATERSHED (Sept. 18, 2006)-- One of the most productive coho tributaries to the lower Hoh River just got even better for fish thanks to the removal of a fish-blocking culvert on its upper reaches. “Anytime there is an opportunity to get one of these fish-blocking culverts out, the tribe wants to remove it,” said Tyler Jurasin, fisheries biologist for the Hoh Tribe. One of the tribe’s highest priorities is addressing fish passage problems in the Hoh watershed. The $60,000 Braden Creek project is a cooperative effort between the Hoh Tribe and private timberland owner Rayonier.

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Restoration Projects Would Improve Salmon Habitat In Salt Creek

PORT ANGELES (December 7, 2004) – The Salt Creek Watershed has about 50 miles of fish habitat, but half of it is inaccessible to salmon and trout, according to a recently completed assessment of the area.

The study, developed by the Lower Elwha Klallam Tribe and the North Olympic Salmon Coalition, will be presented at a public meeting on Dec. 13 from 7 p.m. to 9 p.m. at the Crescent Bay Lions Club. The two groups, along with the WRIA 19 Citizens Facilitation Group, have scheduled the public meeting to discuss the results of the assessment with local landowners and others interested in the watershed.

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