Kritzer Elected Chair Of Salmon Recovery Council

 

Redmond Council President Vanessa Kritzer Elected Chair of WRIA 8 Salmon Recovery Council

REDMOND, WA - City Council President Vanessa Kritzer was elected to serve as chair of the Lake Washington/Cedar/Sammamish Watershed (WRIA 8) Salmon Recovery Council, a partnership working to protect and restore salmon habitat in the region, including Redmond’s streams. The watershed is also referred to as Water Resource Inventory Area (WRIA) 8 and covers an area of Puget Sound near the shore and inland from the north end of Elliott Bay to south Everett and east to the Bear Creek basin, the Issaquah Creek basin, and the upper Cedar River basin.

“It’s inspiring to see what we can accomplish when we work together, and I look forward to leading on this vital salmon recovery work. I encourage all residents to join in by learning about what you can to support our salmon and a healthier ecosystem,” said Council President Kritzer.

The WRIA 8 Salmon Recovery Council is composed of elected representatives from 29 local governments in the WRIA 8 watershed, plus partners and representatives from community organizations, business, environmental interests, and state and federal agencies. The council oversees the implementation of the science-based Chinook Salmon Conservation Plan, a response to the listing of Puget Sound Chinook as a threatened species under the Endangered Species Act.

Our watershed is home to multiple species of salmon, including Chinook, coho, and sockeye, as well as kokanee, a small red landlocked species native to Lake Sammamish. Salmon are an important environmental and cultural resource for our region, and their survival depends heavily on our choices. Recovery efforts seek to restore salmon runs to levels that would consistently support sustainable runs for tribal and recreational fishing year-to-year.

The City joined its partners recently in celebrating a 10-year high on returns of kokanee salmon in Lake Sammamish. This year, at least 6,800 adult kokanee salmon returned from the lake to their spawning ground in streams that flow into Lake Sammamish. This comes after alarmingly low returns, including just 19 salmon returning to spawn during the 2017-2018 season. This is the largest return of fish seen since a collaboration between the Snoqualmie Tribe, local cities (including Redmond), King County, state, and federal agencies, nonprofits, and residents have come together to take emergency actions to help save this unique stock of little red fish. Read more in King County’s news release.

Redmond plays an important role in restoring our watershed. Stream restoration projects along Bear Creek, Keller Farm, and Evans Creek are gradually restoring salmon habitat that had been lost to development. To journey safely upriver, salmon need shady, cool streams, with many twists and turns and woody debris to hide in along the banks. Streams with these characteristics also reduce erosion and help keep water clear and clean for fish. Learn more about healthy streams at redmond.gov/Streams.

Our stormwater system also plays a crucial role in protecting fish, funneling rain and snowmelt from roads, sidewalks, and parking lots into nearby streams and lakes. Most of this water is unfiltered, but the way that we design and manage our stormwater system and prevent pollution on our roads plays an important part in keeping streams healthy for fish.

You can help protect salmon from harmful pollutants:

• Always use a commercial car wash: washing your car in a driveway, street, or lawn allows pollution to run into the stormwater system or groundwater, where it can flow to streams and harm fish.
• Take care of your car: keep your tires inflated and promptly fix leaks to reduce pollution. Learn more at redmond.gov/1225/Taking-Action#car.
• Pick up pet waste: pet waste contains harmful bacteria that can be washed into our streams where it has the chance to sicken fish and anyone playing in the water.
• Adopt a drain: by adopting your neighborhood storm drain you can make a difference in your neighborhood with just a few minutes a month.
• Report spills and dumping: always report spills and dumping to Redmond’s spill response team at 425-556-2868.
• Learn more about protecting salmon at salmonfriendlylakes.org.

Council President Kritzer has served on the WRIA 8 Salmon Recovery Council for the past four years. She also represents Redmond on the Management Committee governing our collective work to support kokanee salmon in Lake Sammamish and most recently served as Chair of the King Conservation District Advisory Committee.

12.16.2024