White Salmon Basin Beaver Assessment

The White Salmon Basin Beaver Assessment evaluated habitat conditions in the anadromous tributaries of the White Salmon River to identify sites where salmonid habitat could benefit from beaver re-introduction. The project is sponsored by Mid-Columbia Fisheries Enhancement Group. The scope of work included:

1. Inventory tributary habitats that could benefit from re-colonization / re-introduction of American beaver (Castor canadensis).
2. Provide information to landowners on the habitat benefits created by beaver pools, as well as beaver management options.
3. Identify willing landowners open to beaver re-colonization / release.
4. Develop a list of potential release sites with suitable beaver habitat, willing landowners, and aquatic conditions that could benefit from habitat modifications typically associated with beaver activity.
5. Fill a data gap by developing more detailed and specific information necessary to proceed to a restoration/protection type project.

The project drew on the lessons learned from other successful beaver projects in eastern Washington watersheds. The project addresses key limiting habitat factors identified in the Klickitat Salmon Recovery strategy, including lack of instream structure to create pools, low quality pools, low summer flows, high peak flows, high summer temperatures, loss of floodplain connectivity and capacity, and loss of upper watershed wetlands.

The White Salmon Basin Beaver Assessment evaluated habitat conditions in the anadromous tributaries of the White Salmon to identify sites where salmonid habitat could benefit from beaver re-introduction.