Chehalis Basin Fisheries Task Force
Home | Board of Directors | Bulletin | Projects | Area Served | Pertinent Facts | History | EDT | Salmon | Become a Member | Contact Us | Links | Volunteer
Habitat Projects in the Newaukum River Watershed
Marshall Ponds · Merryman · Upper Newaukum
The Marshall Ponds project is located on the North Fork of the Newaukum River near Onalaska, Washington and is sponsored by Jack Marshall, the Chehalis Basin Fisheries Task Force and US Fish and Wildlife Service. Project participants created two acres of valuable salmonid rearing area and overwintering habitat by upgrading and providing river access to an existing pond. The pond was deepened and the sides reconstructed and planted. A culvert was placed at each end of the pond to allow access to and from the river.
At a cost of $8,500, the Marshall Ponds Salmonid Habitat Project has been successful in providing a low turbidity environment with stable temperatures resulting in an increase in the survival rate of juvenile Coho.
Merryman
The Merryman project, located to the east of Onalaska, Washington, involved an ongoing effort to replenish the stock of native fish in the Newaukum River. The replenishment process begins by placing salmon fry from the Satsop Springs State Fish Hatchery into the Merryman Rearing Pond. When large enough to move, the smolts are relocated to Baxter’s pond on the Middle Fork of the Newaukum River. They remain in Baxter’s Pond until they develop adult coloring and are subsequently released into the river.
To accomplish its goals the Merryman Project relies heavily on volunteers. Members of the community, Friends of the Chehalis and students from the Natural Resources Technician program at Centralia College combine efforts to raise, transport and release up to 20,000 smolt each spring.
Upper South Fork Newaukum Off Channel Rearing and Spawning Project
The
Newaukum sub-basin is ranked as high priority for salmon restoration in the
Chehalis Watershed Salmon Recovery Plan. It supports at least four species
of anadromous salmonids, including spring and fall chinook, coho, and winter
steelhead, as well as cutthroat trout. Most of the land ownership within the
subbasin is private, used primarily for forestry, agricultural, and rural
residential purposes.
This project provides access to and improves habitat in two old river oxbows
on the Bill Scheer property bordering the South Fork Newaukum River. The two
sites are on opposite sides of the river within close proximity of each
other.
The site on the left bank, facing downstream, is a channel roughly 500 feet
long and 15 feet wide, separated from the river during normal flows. It is
in the 100-year floodplain, and has good subsurface flow. Salmonids have
been observed in isolated pools in the channel. Fish rearing and access are
inhibited by several barriers consisting of fine sediments accumulated in
reed canary grass. Off-channel spawning is non-existent at this time.
The first phase of this project began in July 2005. Habitat has been
improved by removing the fish barrier sediment plugs, reconnecting the
downstream end of the channel to the Newaukum River, widening the channel to
approximately 20 feet, exposing the existing streambed gravels, adding large
woody debris (LWD) with root wads attached, and establishing riparian cover
using potted deciduous native species such as alder and ash, as well as some
spruce or hemlock. Willows and other low shrubs would be planted to ensure
bank stability. Banks have been tapered at a 2:1 slope, with jute matting
added, grass seed and mulch applied.
This reattached channel will support several hundred spawning salmonids and
provide off-channel rearing for all five species of salmonids as well as
other fish species within the system.
The second site, phase two, projected to be completed the summer of 2006, is
a much larger oxbow located upstream and on the opposite side of the river
from the first site. This oxbow ranges from 20 to 30 feet in width and is
roughly ˝ mile long. The riparian area is in excellent condition, consisting
of deciduous trees mixed with second growth conifers. Several fish barriers
made up of fine sediments accumulated in reed canary grass block fish
access, including one at the downstream end adjoining the river. To provide
fish access and enhance this off-channel habitat these plugs would be
removed, fine sediments excavated, LWD added, and an engineered log jam
constructed at the upstream end to protect the channel for an extended
period of time. Removing the sediment blockages should expose good streambed
gravels. If not, gravel could easily be added to enhance spawning
capability. Ample subsurface flow would support a healthy population of
several hundred spawning adults plus provide habitat for juvenile salmonids
and cutthroat trout.
Channel topography would be surveyed to reconcile the new project elevations
with the river. Sedimentary deposits would be measured and volumes of
material to be removed would be determined. Excavated materials would be
trucked off-site or disposed of on-site as appropriate.
An access road used by the landowner, located approximately in the middle of
the oxbow, has a fish-blocking culvert under it. This would be corrected by
installing a bridge or large fish passable culvert.
This project is a cooperative effort with the landowner, the Scheer family,
the Family Forest Association, Natural Resource Conservation Service, the
Farm Service Agency, the Chehalis Basin Fisheries Task Force, and the
Chehalis Basin Partnership. It is an excellent example of a cooperative
project that is of benefit to the Newaukum River and its fish resources.
-TOP
OF PAGE-