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| Logs and "el-wood" are positioned in Willows Creek |
Erosion and a significant sedimentation problems occur during periods heavy rains. The problem is augmented by a stormwater outfall servicing the surrounding roads and homes. High flow rates reduce the amount and quality of habitat for salmon and cutthroat trout. According to Tom Hardy, city stream specialist cutthroat are present but not salmon. Read more...
Tom Hardy led a stream restoration project carefully positioning ~100 pieces of large woody debris (logs and branches) across the creek. (Most of the native logs were removed years ago for salvage by loggers.) The City paid the Washington Conservation Corps to do most of the labor.
According to Mr. Hardy:
Nine Red Alder and one Big Leaf Maple were felled at chosen points along the upper section of the creek. Selective tree thinning speeds up forest succession. The native logs were supplemented with imported Douglas fir and Cedar logs. Some logs were bundled into "el-wood" (engineered large woody debris). The "el-wood" were joined together on site to replicate log jams."This reach of Willows Creek was identified by City staff for this project because of its low-cost, significant, protected riparian buffer and its potential to provide spawning and rearing habitat for salmonids."
Logs slowed stream flows by creating "little dams," Small pools, eddies and sedimentation traps form. In addition, little cascades oxygenate the water. All of these effects provide better "living quarters" for fish, resulting in improved survivability. The project called for planting 100 Cedar, Spruce, and Fir trees in the riparian for shade, cooler water, bank stabilization and wildlife habitat.
by John Reinke and Bob Yoder
Photo by Reinke
Sources: Public Notice, Water Tenders, Letter and emails from Tom Hardy, tour by Tom Hardy (Yoder and Reinke).
Sources: Public Notice, Water Tenders, Letter and emails from Tom Hardy, tour by Tom Hardy (Yoder and Reinke).
Great to hear that you’re still interested in the Willows Creek project from 8 years ago. The project has performed as we hoped for, and has gone through a lot of changes since we constructed in 2010-11. The installed wood has remained relatively stable, trapped sediment, created pools and made the stream more complex. The plants that were planted have also continued to grow and will provide benefits to the stream ecology. There have also been several very large trees that have naturally fallen down in the project reach that have contributed to value and function of the project reach.
ReplyDeleteThe project goals were to add complexity to the channel, help trap and sort sediment, create pools and improve the riparian buffer. I believe all of those goals have been achieved. The lower end of the stream as it exits the ravine and goes into the reed canary grass field is PSE’s property. They are planning a large scale restoration project in the near future that will result in a defined stream channel and riparian plants through the reed canary grass reach, as well as replacement of a fish barrier culvert. This will help connect our previous project to downstream, and provide a fish passable channel and improved habitat conditions.
In 2019, the city is also planning to replace the fish barrier culvert under Willows Road with a fish passable, 12-foot wide culvert.