Tumalum Creek LTPBR Phase 4

The Pomeroy Conservation District will restore in-stream habitat, floodplain connectivity, and riparian function on Tumalum Creek. Tumalum Creek is located within the Tucannon River watershed in Garfield County, WA, a major spawning area for Endangered Species Act-listed Snake River steelhead. The proposed project area extends approximately 1 mile on both lower Tumalum Creek on private ground, and upper Tumalum Creek on WDFW ground.

Tumalum provides critical habitat for steelhead and the lower mile is designated as a priority restoration reach. The lower three miles are limited by degraded habitat conditions including channel incision, high stream temperatures, lack of habitat complexity, floodplain connectivity, and low stream flows. Majority of lower Tumalum runs dry for portions of the year and some of WDFW upstream section is perennial.

The overall goals of restoration are improve spawning and rearing habitat for steelhead by increasing in-stream habitat complexity, floodplain connectivity, and riparian function through the placement of Post-Assisted Log Structures and Beaver Dam Analogues. This project will complement existing restoration efforts (PALS, BDAs, beaver relocation) in the middle and upper watershed by extending the previous restoration footprint both upstream and downstream.

The overall goals are to promote self-sustaining, natural stream processes that improve spawning and rearing habitat for Snake River steelhead through the installation of structures that mimic beaver dams (BDAs) and large wood accumulations (PALS) on Tumalum Creek.