Pysht River Floodplain Acquisition (Phase I)

This project permanently protected 21.59 acres of Pysht river floodplain and channel migration zone (CMZ). This area is situated between river mile 8.0 and 9.0, containing approximately 0.3 miles of the Pysht river in western Clallam County. The property encompasses both sides of the river and occupies a critical transition zone of the valley. Over half of the property is large river or large river floodplain within 200 feet. Acquisition of this parcel has ensured the protection of the mature conifer stand along the NW parcel boundary that provides substantial canopy cover to a high use spawning reach for numerous salmon species.

Since acquiring the parcel on August 20, 2010, we have revegetated riparian areas that had been converted to pasture land, worked to eradicate exotic species (blackberry) that had spread throughout the property, demolished existing infrastructure that had been contributing to decreased floodplain connectivity, removed associated debris, removed a bus, and constructed a parking lot with fencing.

Future phases have already been completed.
1. The Land Trust acquired the VanCalcar property, one parcel removed from Hart, April 26, 2011, with funding from grant #10-1509.
2. The Burdick easement, also part of grant #10-1509, is on track to close by the end of 2012.
3. On this site, future project phases will include instream habitat restoration. Funding for design only phase of ELJs in the Pysht will be available by the end of 2011, and meetings between the Makah Tribe, Lower Elwha Klallam Tribe and the Land Trust will begin January or February of 2012.

The goal of the project, which was accomplished, was to protect degraded habitat from further degradation, to restore the habitat by removing structures in the active channel migration zone, to remove noxious weeds, and revegetate the riparian buffer. The objective of the project, accomplished, was to protect degraded salmon refugia, and habitat part of key ecological processes.