Nason & Kahler Creeks Confluence Acquisition

CDLT successfully acquired 80 acres, 73 from the Toole Estate and 7 from the Jawa family. Toole is a retangular forested parcel including one mile of Kahler Creek (both sides of .5 mile) plus .3 miles of Nason Creek on the mainstem and .2 miles of well-shaded side channel. According to the 2015 Geomorphic Assessment of Lower Nason Creek, this side channel remains connected during summer base flows of 58 cfs in the main stem, and it carries about 230 cfs during typical spring discharge when the total flow in this reach is 1000 cfs.

The adjacent Jawa parcel is forested with large trees and has .2 miles Nason Creek frontage, most of which is low floodplain. The CDLT acquisitions complete protection of the entire 3.5 sq mi Kahler Creek watershed from headwaters to mouth. These parcels are by far the largest and highest quality parcels left in this highly subdivided and fractured area. There is good road access to Toole from the west via Butcher Creek Rd., and from Kahler Glen to the north.

These properties adjoin the 3,714 acre Nason Ridge property, recently protected by CDLT, Western Rivers Conservancy (WRC), and others. The Nason Ridge property will be transferred to Chelan County in early 2022, with funding from SRFB, RCO Community Forest, Chelan PUD Tributary Committee and Grant PUD Preist Rapids Coordinating Committee.

Kahler Creek has a good connection to the floodplain with meandering channel and braided high flow channels. The stream has both excellent salmonid rearing and spawning potential with diverse intact habitat and consistently cool water temperatures. Numerous juvenile salmonids were observed throughout the entire stream reach.

Both ESA-listed spring Chinook and steelhead are the target species for this acquisition.

To acquire, protect, and manage for salmonid habitat and forest health.