At the start of 2003, SFEG entered into several large contracts with the federal Wetlands Reserve Program (WRP) projects in partnership with Ducks Unlimited. These contracts generally involve conducting a broader type of watershed restoration than we are typically used to. However, while the goals of our partners' projects may be more indirectly related to fisheries than we are used to, the ultimate results of the projects are no less related to fisheries restoration than our past efforts. These new contracts would not have been possible without the excellent track record of our experienced restoration crew.

Currently, SFEG is working in the East Fork Nookachamps basin with the Wetlands Reserve Program and Ducks Unlimited on agricultural land that is too wet and marginal to be reasonably cultivated given the presence of hydric soils. At Verdoes Reach project on the Davis Property downstream from State Route 9 near Mount Vernon, SFEG is enhancing floodplain processes and reestablishing meander in a straightened stream through the installation of several large woody debris clusters. This reach is loaded with juvenile coho, and the wood also helps to create cover for juveniles and adults.

Verdoes Reach

The WRP owns several easements in the lower East Fork Nookachamps area, and SFEG has been contracted to revegetate extensive wetland areas that have been hydrologically enhanced through sod stripping and the removal of invasive reed canarygrass. At Wester's WRP project, SFEG installed and wrapped 18,000 willow whips this spring in a 90-acre wetland riparian site, which provides winter rearing habitat for coho salmon. North of Tewalt Rock is the Turner Creek Backwater project, which is planned for later this summer. Ducks Unlimited prepared the design and SFEG is assisting with planning, permitting and implementation of the project.

Wester's WRP

Turner Creek has been straightened through this area, and the drainage district attempts to keep farmland adequately drained. Historic photos of the area show it to have been a willow and alder dominated wetland with numerous small channels. This will be restored through the development of a backwater channel and restoration of wetland hydrology. New plantings will provide increased riparian and wetland habitat for anadromous fish and waterfowl. Large woody debris will be placed throughout the backwater channel and the emergent wetland areas to create diverse habitat. Perch poles for raptors will be established in the emergent wetland area. Wetland restoration will involve stripping reed canarygrass approximately one foot deep. Sod strippings will remain on site and will be revegetated with native willows, trees and shrubs. Stripped sod zones will be colonized by native aquatic wetland species. We have seen positive results at other project sites with the colonization of American water plantain (Alisma plantago-aquatica), creeping spike rush (Eleocharis palustris), bur-reed (Sparganium sp.), hardstem bulrush (Scirpus acutis), small-fruited bulrush (Scirpus microcarpus), sawbeak sedge (Carex stipata) and other sedges and graminoids. Sod stripping is done to remove the canarygrass roots and delevel the surface in order to favor longer seasonal hydrology to keep out weeds and promote natural colonization.

Generally, in many of our lowland basins, the shallow water table has been affected by the removal of the old riparian trees. When forested wetlands are logged, the water table typically rises in the short-term as riparian vegetation loses its ability to conserve moisture. As surface water heats, evaporates or drains off, the surface water drops in the wetland and we experience lower baseflows in the stream. Drained wetlands cannot provide hydrologic support to our streams over the course of the dry summer.

Watershed-based hydrologic restoration allows us to enhance the ability of a watershed to provide and maintain hydrologic support, including flood control, for which floodplain connectively has been largely cut off. Many of our streams are ditched, diked or otherwise isolated from their natural floodplains. Most of this land is really too wet anyway and does not make good agricultural land. Farmland preservation is important and adequate drainage is often necessary. Therefore there must be a balance between restoring ditched streams and maintaining adequate drainage for active agriculture to continue to be economically viable.

Recently, SFEG's restoration committee has engaged in action planning to determine the geographic area and streams where we will focus future efforts in order to optimize the benefit to salmonids. So far there is broad-ranging interest from the lower Skagit to Marblemount and from Darrington to Wickersham. While visioning helps to focus our efforts, SFEG must remain open opportunities presented by a variety of types of ecological restoration and partnerships.