The area served by the Chehalis Basin
Fisheries Task Force encompasses the entire Chehalis River watershed; the
second largest river system in the state of Washington. This basin
includes 90% of Grays Harbor, 30% of Mason, 55% of Thurston, 50% of Lewis,
and small parts of Pacific, Jefferson, Cowlitz, and Wahkiakum Counties;
encompassing 1,694,951 acres. (See
Table 1) This region consists of two major and a number
of minor, independent drainages and 1,391 rivers and streams containing
3,353 linear stream miles. The Hoquiam and Humptulips Rivers, plus
several smaller systems, enter Grays Harbor from the north; the Chehalis
River from the east; and the Johns and Elks Rivers, along with a number of
smaller drainages, from the south.
| Table 1 | |
|
Acres within the Chehalis River Basin by County
|
|
| County | Acres |
| Cowlitz | 5,313 |
| Grays Harbor | 819,001 |
| Jefferson | 1,296 |
| Lewis | 490,104 |
| Mason | 133,194 |
| Pacific | 41,833 |
| Thurston | 204,160 |
| Wahkiakum | 50 |
| Total | 1,694,951 |