With an average of escapement of 246 fish during 1996 – 2003, South Fork (fall) Chinook are on the brink of extinction (SIRC 2005, Shared Strategy 2007). Jim Creek, as one of a few SF tributaries to provide significant Chinook habitat, is likely critical in providing spawning and rearing habitat refuge for SF Chinook. Given the significant sources of fine sediment to the SF Stillaguamish that severely limits the spawning success of Chinook along the SF (Purser et al 2009), Jim Creek may be one of two refuges for SF Chinook until the sediment issues are resolved.
In 2010, Sound Salmon Solutions began an 18-month design project to address degraded habitat conditions along a 1 mile section of Jim Creek near Arlington; the project was funded by State Salmon Recovery Funding Board – Stillaguamish Watershed Council.
SSS worked with The Watershed Company to characterize existing habitat conditions and identify limiting factors within the project reach, and with input from the 8 landowners living along the project reach, designed 17 permit-ready salmon habitat restoration activities along Jim Creek. The designed project activities focus on restoring process and will address limiting factors identified in the Stillaguamish Chinook Salmon Recovery Plan and contribute to the Stillaguamish basin 10-year salmon recovery targets. Although the plan targets focus on Chinook salmon, it is expected that restoration activities will improve conditions for other salmon spawning and rearing in Jim Creek.
The design project was the first phase of a reach scale restoration project. Sound Salmon Solutions is partnering with Snohomish Conservation District, The Watershed Company, and the landowners to secure funding for final design, permitting, and construction. The project will result in 6 acres of riparian planting, ½ mile of livestock exclusion fencing, bank armoring removal, and construction of 6 – 8 large wood debris structures. Activities are expected to reduce water temperature, improve instream habitat complexity and pool quantity and quality, and reduce erosion and other pollutant inputs by filtering stormwater runoff.
You can read the draft Jim Creek Design final report and view the preliminary (30%) habitat restoration designs.
You can learn more about this project and salmon recovery projects around the state on the Habitat Work Schedule at http://hws.ekosystem.us/
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