The project seeks to restore habitat for rearing and spawning (Coho, chum, cutthroat, steelhead) in the S.F. Pysht River. This work builds upon previous habitat restoration projects adjacent to this proposal and elsewhere on Merrill & Rings ownership in the Pysht River watershed. The phases of the project include 1) removal of a fish barrier blocking access to a 1acre pond/wetland and 1200 feet of stream (fully funded by M&R, exclusive of match); 2) construction of a channel between the pond and Pysht River for fish passage and spawning habitat, replacing the currently-used ditch; 3) placement of LWD along 3,000 of the S.F.Pysht River. Merrill & Ring owns 26,000 acres in the Pysht River watershed on the Strait of Juan de Fuca. M&R, tribes, State and Federal agencies formed the Pysht River Cooperative in 1991 to assess habitat conditions and develop habitat restoration projects in the watershed. Five projects, starting in 1994, involved the harvest of alder-dominated riparian stands, placement of LWD, construction of off-channel ponds, and restoration of conifer stands in riparian areas. Two Projects are underway. Dr. Tim Wootten of the Univ. of Chicago studied salmon populations throughout the north Olympic Peninsula (unpublished, research in progress). He found the highest concentrations of Coho smolts within the restoration area, compared with all other river systems. A 1/4 acre pond constructed during the first project produced 800 Coho smolts in 2000. Beaver recently colonized two smaller ponds.
