Siletz River Restoration Actions Phase IV (year two pilot tidewater sites)

The project involves installing log jams across 3.3 miles of estuary river banks at subtidal depths to create complex habitat that allows for increased survival of young of the year salmon. Survival of young of the year salmon is increased when log jams are present because young fish have places to hide from predators such as larger fish, birds, seal, etc. The full project targets plaement of 600 conifer logs in various grouping/numbers/jams across 3.3 miles of tidal river bank. The total 3.3 miles of work area is spread across a total length of 6.0 miles of river in tidewater.

This project is being implemented to benefit anadromous salmonids by creating complex habitat associated with large wood structures (log jams) and their ability to improve stream and estuarine habitat which in turn results in greater overall survival of several hundred thousand young salmon that utilize the estuary on an annual basis. Other species benefit from this work as well and those benefits in turn directly benefit young salmon. One example of this is an increase in benthic macroinvertebrates (bugs) that young salmon target when feeding during the spring and summer months of their outmigration period - as they move to the ocean to become adults. There are many more examples of benefits to young salmonids, these are just a few. A single simple benefit to adult salmon is their ability to utilize the log structures to avoid predation by seals in the estuary. Seal (predator) numbers have dramatically increased in Oregon estuaries the past five decades. Increases in predators and simplification of the estuarine river channel has left adult salmonids with what is essentially an open barren landscape with no habitat available to avoid predators such as seals. Log jams provide various levels of cover which benefit adult salmon when being preyed upon by seals.