National Fish & Wildlife Foundation
Illahee Creek Salmon Restoration Grant
Background: The Illahee Creek Salmon Restoration Project began in 2005 with preparatory work by the Illahee Forest Preserve, the Illahee Preserve Stewardship Committee, and the Port of Illahee, to document the viability of Illahee Creek as a salmon bearing stream. The long term goals are to restore salmon runs to near historical levels and have an educational facility to witness the process. The mid term goals are to restore Illahee Creek’s spawning and rearing habitat, to restore sediment filled ponds, and possibly restore salmon runs using remote site incubators (community groups participated in remote site incubator projects in the past but were foiled by excessive storm water). The short term goals, and the purpose of the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation grant, is to develop the plans (both conceptual and actual) necessary to restore Illahee Creek as a fully functioning salmon stream. The primary project site is located on fifteen acres of privately owned property known in this community as “Chums Run”.
Project Description: The National Fish and Wildlife Foundation grant specifically looked at four specific areas as part of the Illahee Creek Salmon Restoration Project. Water quality was monitored for nearly two years to determine the likely areas where fecal coliform bacteria was originating as the stream has failed state standards for 9 of the last 11 years. The lower reaches of Illahee Creek contained an understory of invasive English Ivy that volunteers began removing in order to improve stream corridor habitat. Additionally, the volunteers planted nearly 300 native tree saplings along the lower reach of Illahee Creek. The primary focus of the planning portion of the project was the Draft Illahee Creek Watershed Characterization and Site Assessment report that was prepared by Parametrix and Stillwater Sciences. The report covers the watershed conditions of: land cover and land use, geology and groundwater, hydrology, stream and hillslope geomorphology, fish habitat and fish use, wetlands, and water quality. The primary finding of the report is that Illahee Creek is plagued by excessive sedimentation from storm water and both the storm water and sediment need to be controlled. The report identifies one sediment producing slide area and provides an engineered solution to control the storm water for that specific area. This project is complemented by a Port of Illahee / Department of Ecology Centennial Clean Water Fund grant that looks further at the sedimentation problems inherent in Illahee Creek along with recommended solutions.
Illahee Creek - November 2006
If you have any information, ideas, questions or comments, please feel free to e-mail us - web@illaheecommunity.com.
