Salmon Habitat Restoration

In a joint project involving the Lower Elwha Tribe and Washington Department of Natural Resources, we installed several engineered log jams in the upper Hoko River. A bridge spanning Ellis Creek, a tributary to the Hoko River, was removed in the summer of 2008 and replaced with a channel-spanning LWD jam. More wood was placed upstream of the confluence with the Hoko River to improve habitat complexity and increase aggradation of salmon spawning gravels. The wood we put in place has reactivated historical floodplain habitat, stabilized river banks by minimizing erosion, and has promoted channel bed scour that creates deep pools utilized by rearing juveniles.

The Tribe maintained an existing log jam project in an eroding incised channel for bank stabilization and habitat enhancement. This effort required the removal of several pieces that had dislodged from the main structure to prevent scour activity from undercutting a steep bank along a residential property. Staff also conducted cross-sectional surveys of the Big River stream channel as well as a tributary, Boe Creek, a major tributary of the Big River that supports fry emergence and smolt development of hatchery-origin sockeye salmon.

Riparian habitat restoration contributes to recovery of aquatic ecosystems within the Makah U&A by conducting reforestation projects. Improved habitat conditions should improve productivity and recovery of regional salmonid populations. Monitoring conditions pre- and post- project completion will evaluate the efficacy of project design toward achieving desired results and lead to better designed projects in the future. Work performed in conjunction with other projects to produce more complete results is an effective use of available funds.