The Skagit Fisheries Enhancement Group has been awarded a Salmon Recovery Funding Board (SRFB) grant to conduct stream restoration and riparian enhancement at Verdoes Reach on the East Fork of the Nookachamps Creek. The project site flows through wetland portions of the old Verdoes Dairy through a 33-acre Wetland Reserve Program (WRP) conservation easement held by the Natural Resource Conservation Service. The protection of Verdoes reach within WRP provides excellent restoration opportunities.

Channelization and clearing of riparian vegetation in 1959 disturbed salmonid habitat by removing shade, wood, and habitat-forming processes that typically promote productive pool and riffle habitat for rearing and spawning. The channel was actually shortened by about 500 feet, resulting in downcutting and leaving an incised channel with sloughing banks that is cut off from the riparian zone during normal to low flow conditions. Lack of woody riparian vegetation, instream wood and dominance of reed canarygrass have slowed the recovery process. While a meandering pattern has begun to form within the straightened channel, there is presently little habitat structure. Fill abutments remain from a bridge crossing that was removed in the late 1980's.

One thing has not changed. The site experiences extensive flooding, both as a result of intense rain events and runoff in the Nookachamps basin and also from backwater flooding from the Skagit River. Nookachamps Creek is known to support a variety of salmonids including chinook, coho, chum, and pink salmon, as well as steelhead, and cutthroat trout. In particular, this reach functions for coho and cutthroat rearing habitat.

The project involves restoring the riparian area with native plants, enhancing floodplain processes by removing the fill, and enhancing summer and winter rearing habitat by installing wood throughout the project area. Approximately five large woody debris structures will be installed in the straightened channel. Anticipated benefits include pool development and gravel sorting for rearing and potential spawning. Improved meander development and retention of floating wood is another anticipated benefit. Wood will also be secured in off-channel locations of the floodplain. The off-channel wood will add habitat features, structure during flooding, and will accelerate riparian restoration through formation of nurse logs. Perch poles for birds will be added to off-channel locations, which may have the secondary effect of controlling rodent predation on riparian plantings. Revegetation will involve planting native trees and shrubs such as willow, cottonwood, red alder, red-osier dogwood, twinberry, ninebark, and some conifers. Site preparation will be conducted to control the reed canarygrass both before and after planting. SFEG is preparing for construction this year. However, since funding for the project was received late in the spring, project implementation will likely be phased over a two-year period as we work through the permitting process.